Phosphorous deficiency — Maize

Symptoms

Characteristic symptom: Dark green leaves with purple or reddish margins Plants grow slowly and become short, thin and spindly. Leaves may appear unusually dark green or bluish-green. Purple or reddish-brown discolouration develops first along the tips and margins of older leaves. The purple colour may spread along the leaf margins towards the base. In severe cases, much of the leaf becomes reddish-purple or brown. Brown, dead tissue may develop at the tips and along the margins of affected leaves. Plants mature late and produce small ears with poorly developed kernels.