Every micronutrient has specific roles to play in the plants. Their presence in optimum concentration is a must for the plant to complete its life cycle that ends with maturity and harvesting of the economic produce. Micronutrients are essential plant mineral nutrients taken up and utilized by crops in very small quantities.

Traditionally, we have relied on what was present naturally in the soil together with amounts added as impurities in fertilizers and pesticides as the source of micronutrients for crop growth. In recent years, however, deficiencies of micronutrients have been diagnosed more frequently, and many farmers are beginning to take a closer look at their general availability.

It is extremely important to be able to recognize and correct micronutrient deficiencies. When micronutrients become a limiting factor, water, fertilizer, and other high-energy production inputs may be wasted since a plant will only grow and develop to the extent that its most limiting growth factor will allow.