Fertilisation in carrots
The cultivation of carrots has increased over the last years. Driven by stronger demands for yield and quality, the production is concentrated more and more on specialized farms.
For an optimized nutrition management, foliar fertilizers can be applied preventive as integrated part of the fertilisation strategy or if it comes to an undersupply with nutrients and visible symptoms. Besides soil analysis, the additional leaf analysis can help to analyse and recognize the availability for each element.
Lack of phosphorus and magnesium
Results of the complex plant analysis have shown a significant deficiency of phosphorus and magnesium (half of all analysis) over the last years.
A magnesium deficiency will be visible with yellow, followed by brown leaf tops on older leaves.
A phosphorus deficiency is indicated by reddish leaves, particularly at the midrib. The growth is limited and plants remain small.
Fertilisation with boron, zinc, manganese and molybdenum
An undersupply with boron will limit growth and quality as well (cracks on the carrots).
A deficiency with zinc will cause a reduced auxin metabolism with small leaves and limited growth at the end.
The lack of manganese will be visible by yellow colouring between the leaf nerves. First symptoms occur on younger leaves. This is in contrast to undersupply with magnesium where first symptoms appear on the oldest leaves.
A deficiency with molybdenum will cause the cracking of carrots.
All our information and recommendations are based on various field trials done in the last years. Our knowledge and experience in combination with the complex plant's analysis can help to optimize production, yield and quality.