All crops experience hidden hunger and nutrient imbalances which limit yield. Hidden hunger is a term used to describe a plant that shows no obvious symptoms, yet the nutrient content is not sufficient to give the top profitable yield. In this video, John talks about diagnosing nutrient deficiencies by identifying very subtle signals in plants. John explains what to look for in leaf size comparisons, internode length, timing development, and many more visual observations which are easy to overlook. See the full video here: https://youtu.be/Ex2cAX98cls.

1. VISUALLY DIAGNOSING HIDDEN HUNGER AND MINERAL IMBALANCES
A Webinar Hosted by AEA Featuring John Kempf

2. All crops experience hidden
hunger in the form of unseen
nutrient imbalances

3. The New Normal
Most crops are deficient in
key trace minerals such as
manganese and iron

4. Many soils today are unable
to supply all the nutrients
and trace minerals needed

5. Mainstream agronomic practices
create hidden hunger with over-
applications of incorrect products

6. Nutrient imbalances
suppress yields before they
are visually observable

7. Mineral Current level
Total Sugars 0,6%
pH 6,3
EC 16,5mS/cm
K - Potassium 4385ppm
Ca - Calcium 4228ppm
K / Ca 1,04
Mg - Magnesium 1108ppm
Na - Sodium 191ppm
NH4 - Ammonium 206ppm
NO3 - Nitrate 1031ppm
N in Nitrate 233ppm
N - Total Nitrogen 1044ppm
Cl - Chlorine 2166ppm
S - Sulfur 2462ppm
P - Phosphorus 237ppm
Si - Silica 10,8ppm
Use sap analysis to identify
nutrient imbalances before
they cause hidden hunger

8. Close visual observations
of subtle plant signals

9. long internodes = low quality
Internode Length
short internodes = high quality

10. long, narrow leaves = low quality
Leaf Width to Length Ratio
longer, wider leaves= high quality

11. Leaf Width to Length Ratio
note width-length ratio of almond leaves note width-length ratio of cherry leaves
observe leaf edges

12. lighter colored veins = low quality
Leaf Vein Color
darker colored veins = high quality

13. lighter colored veins = low quality
Leaf Vein Color
darker colored veins = high quality

14. First leaves and last leaves of the season should be the same size.
Old and New Leaf Size Comparison

15. long petioles = low quality
Petiole Length
short petioles = high quality
Zinc deficient

16. excessive boron
Nutrient Excess
2 wks later foliar sprayed with calcium
observe leaf shape produced by high boron

17. Pollination Percentage and Uniformity

18. Very Strong Leaf Hair (Trichomes)

19. Terminal Bud Development on
New Shoot Growth

20. Timing of Black Layer
Development

21. Mineral Current level
Total Sugars 0,6%
pH 6,3
EC 16,5mS/cm
K - Potassium 4385ppm
Ca - Calcium 4228ppm
K / Ca 1,04
Mg - Magnesium 1108ppm
Na - Sodium 191ppm
NH4 - Ammonium 206ppm
NO3 - Nitrate 1031ppm
N in Nitrate 233ppm
N - Total Nitrogen 1044ppm
Cl - Chlorine 2166ppm
S - Sulfur 2462ppm
P - Phosphorus 237ppm
Si - Silica 10,8ppm
Use sap analysis to validate
your observations in the field
and as a preemptive tool

22. What Do You See?

23. Call the AEA team when you
want a second opinion when you’re
visually diagnosing a crop
800-495-6603 ext. 300

24. Listen to the
Regenerative
Agriculture
Podcast
regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com