Purpose of Magnesium (Mg)
Magnesium is essential nutrient in process of forming central atom of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the process that gives plants their green color and carries out the process of photosynthesis.
It also plays a role as activator of enzyme where essential in carbon fixation.
Carbon fixation in scientific explanation is conversion process of inorganic carbon to organic compounds by living organism. Magnesium is easily transformed nutrient in plant. Normally magnesium will more transfer to newly growth part of the plant.
Normally we tack bulletin on the wall with a small pin. Carbon Fixation is also a tacking action where Carbon fixation is a process that tacking carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air to carbohydrates so that it won’t float around.
Causes of Magnesium Deficiency:
Magnesium deficiency might cause by acidic soil or occurs in sandy soil. Magnesium is easily leached away in sandy soil. A limited root system with a heavy plant demands will lead to magnesium deficiency in the plant as well.
Please beware that excess potassium caused by fertilizers might further aggravate the stress of magnesium deficiency.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency:
We could notice yellowing between leaf veins, sometimes with reddish brown tints and early leaf fall when magnesium is not sufficient in the plant.
Normally, older leaves are affected first.
Signs of a deficiency first appear around the 4th-6th week. Small, rusty brown spots and/or cloudy yellow flecks appear in the middle-aged leaves (under the top of the plant). The colour of the young leaves and the fruit development are not affected. When comes to second stage, the size and number of rush-brown spots on the leaves increase. As the deficiency being ignored, the symptoms will spread out over the whole plant, which looks ill. When the shortage becomes acute, the younger leaes are also affected and flower production will be reduced.
Remedy:
Common Source of Magnesium is dolomitic limestone. Limestone provides calcium and magnesium which will neutralize soil acidity. Applying magnesium sulfur (kieserite) in long term can cure deficiency of magnesium. Alternatively, laying 100g/sq. m of limestone will make the soil more alkaline but it is not applicable on alkali soil. If you wish to do in organic way, turkey or cow manure is advisable.
