A farmer adds/supplies Na, Ca, Mg and Fe regularly to his field and yet he observes that the plants
show deficiency of Ca, Mg and Fe. Give a valid reason and suggest a way to help the farmer improve the growth of plants.
It is important to know that manganese competes with iron and magnesium for uptake and with magnesium for binding with enzymes. Manganese also inhibit calcium translocation in shoot apex therefore, excess of manganese may, in fact, induce deficiency of iron, magnesium and calcium. Thus, what appears as symptoms of manganese toxicity may actually be the deficiency symptoms of iron, magnesium and calcium.
The farmer should hot add excess manganese in the soil to prevent manganese toxicity.