Agriculture: Molybdenum deficiency is often only revealed in LOW YIELDS. Mo deficiency is the most widespread deficiency after Zinc & Boron. Excess molybdenum in pastures can give rise to animal health problems (in reality it is the nitrogen - Mo acts as bottle neck, so that plants can't uptake a lot of nitrogen -- in high Mo soils nitrogen uptake can be too high-- Ireland -- maybe investigate Denitrifying bacteria, microorganisms whose action results in the conversion of nitrates in soil to free atmospheric nitrogen - also useable in areas where nitrogen is washing into the lakes, rivers and streams). ********** Sometimes Molybdenum (Mo) deficiency can appear like a nitrogen deficiency ************** - it makes sense since Molybdenum (Mo) is required for plant assimilation of nitrogen (both atmosphere and soil). So you might be applying lots of nitrogen.... in situations where you have a molybdenum deficiency.... then just washing away your nitrogen into local rivers, lakes and streams.************* this will cause health problems in aquatic life ******************* Molybdenum is present in the lithosphere at average levels up to 2·3 mg kg−1 but can increase in concentration (300 mg kg−1) in shales that contain significant organic matter. The sources of high-molybdenum soils are Carboniferous black shales and limestones. Don't worry so much about the numbers - it's enough to know that Carboniferous black shales may contain 150 times more Mo than average (in the lithosphere). Molybdenum was the most abundant trace element present in the soluble and insoluble extractions of the wood-ash. ** also see banana peel compost which are high in molybdenum (Mo). *** Take away -- nitrogen is usually not the problem when you see symptoms of nitrogen deficiency -- it is more likely a Molybdenum deficiency.

- Celeste Archer