Manganese Toxicity of Cucurbit Crops
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Manganese toxicity symptoms include water-soaked areas on the underside of leaves and yellow or bronzed spots on the upper leaf surface. Although manganese is an essential
plant micronutrient, high levels of it can lead to toxicity symptoms in cucurbits. Manganese toxicity is generally the result of a low soil pH, which allows manganese to become available to plants in toxic levels.
Manganese toxicity on a muskmelon leaf.
(Photo: David Langston, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org)
Management:
- Check the soil pH in the fall prior to planting; if it is below 6.0, apply lime in the fall and disk in.
