Nickel Deficiency
When plants are deficient in nickel, symptoms often appear on new growth and include leaf tip necrosis or burn, chlorosis of young leaves, reduced leaf size, and stunted growth due to disrupted nitrogen metabolism. In some species, a characteristic symptom known as “mouse ear” develops, in which new leaves are small, rounded, and malformed. Nickel deficiency can be confused with nitrogen deficiency, which also causes yellowing and poor vigor, or with salt or fertilizer burn, since they can cause leaf tip necrosis. Because symptoms overlap and deficiency issues rare, get a soil or tissue test to confirm nickel deficiency.
