Symptom differential
New-Growth Chlorosis
Pale or yellow new growth can result from root-zone chemistry, micronutrient availability, rapid growth, root injury, pests, pathogens, or genetic/developmental variation.
Pattern questions
- Are veins greener than the tissue between them?
- Is the newest tissue distorted as well as pale?
- Is the symptom present on every branch or only selected growing tips?
- Are roots and pH conditions normal for the system?
Plausible cause categories
- Micronutrient availability problems
- Root-zone pH or root injury
- Broad or russet mite injury
- Systemic pathogen
- Rapid transient growth-related paling
- Genetic or developmental variation
Discriminating checks
- Inspect growing tips with magnification
- Measure root-zone pH and EC
- Compare multiple branches and plants
- Use laboratory testing when systemic infection remains plausible
Red flags
- Severe distortion
- Progressive shoot-tip death
- Multiple plants linked to the same propagation source
- Microscopic pests present
Visual study guide
- New-growth locator
- Interveinal versus uniform new-growth chlorosis
- Mite-damage comparison
- Root-zone chemistry flow