Table 1 Fertilizer nutrients related deficiency symptoms in plants, and nutritional disorders in animals and humans

Nitrogen, N

Severe chlorosis, necrosis of leaves, stunted growth, reduced fertilization, and curtailed fruit yield

Protein malnutrition or intestinal malabsorption

[66, 100]

Phosphorus, P

Bluish-green leaves, restricted growth

Vitamin D deficiency, rickets in infants, and osteomalacia in adults

[38, 100]

Potassium, K

Burning along with spotting in leaf margins, reduced crop yield quality of fruit and vegetables

Hypokalemia, risk of cardiovascular diseases, and impaired bone health

[75, 100, 159]

Calcium, Ca

Chlorosis in young leaves

Rickets, osteoporosis. Osteopenia with disturbed metabolic deficiency

Magnesium, Mg

Chlorosis in older leaves

Insomnia, cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, type 2 diabetes mellitus, migrane, and many more

[35, 41, 100]

Sulfur, S

Inward puckered leaves, reduced shoot growth

Hyperhomocysteinemia, risk of cardiovascular diseases, and stroke

[65, 66, 100]

Iron, Fe

Interveinalchlorosis in younger leaves

Anemia, many infections, and inflammatory diseases

[2, 16]

Manganese, Mn

Interveinalchlorosis with a grey spot on leaves

Dermatitis, reduced clotting protein level, increased serum calcium and also associated with Down’s syndrome, Mseleni, epilepsy, and osteoporosis

[17, 130]

Boron, B

Chlorosis in young leaves where terminal bud become light green with shorter internode

Impaired brain functioning, bone health, and immune response

[120]

Zinc, Zn

Interveinalchlorosis and stunt growth. Kaira and white bud in rice and maize, respectively

The compromised immune system, retarded growth, and severe deficiency leads to Acrodermatitis enteropathica

[23, 121]

Copper, Cu

Chlorosis and necrosis in young tissue, male flower sterility

Dysregulation of lipid metabolism, anemia, myeloneuropathy, enteropathies inflammatory disease and affect the immune system too

[11, 158]

Molybdenum, Mo

Chlorotic mottling with necrotic spotting on leaves

Not observed

[124, 143]

Chlorine, Cl

Chlorotic molting and wilted foliage

–

[100, 160]

Nickel, Ni

Urea accumulation and necrosis in leaves

Reduced iron resorption leading to anemia, affected carbohydrate metabolism

[13, 84]