Manganese Sulphate – Uses, Dosage & Application

Manganese Sulphate is a water-soluble micronutrient fertilizer registered for use in India under the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985 (FCO) — a plant-nutrition product, not a crop-protection one. Manganese is essential for photosynthesis (it activates the water-splitting enzyme complex) and for several other enzyme systems, and its deficiency shows up mainly as interveinal chlorosis with characteristic grey or brown speck-like lesions on cereal leaves. Dosage guidance on this page draws on Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Package of Practices and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) extension recommendations for manganese correction in wheat, read alongside the product's own FCO label application rate.

Which Deficiency Symptom Is This For? (Symptom Guide)

Not sure whether what you're seeing in the field is manganese deficiency? This guide helps match the visible symptom to the crop before deciding on a spray.

Mode of Action

Manganese is a cofactor for the oxygen-evolving complex in photosystem II, the enzyme system that splits water during photosynthesis, and it also activates enzymes involved in respiration and nitrogen metabolism. Because manganese availability in soil drops sharply as soil pH rises, deficiency is most common on light-textured, calcareous or over-limed soils, and can also appear on poorly drained, waterlogged soils where manganese is oxidised into an unavailable form. As a water-soluble sulphate salt, manganese sulphate is readily absorbed by leaves in a foliar spray, giving a faster correction than relying on soil availability, and is also used as a soil application on confirmed-deficient fields.

Features & Benefits

• Water-soluble manganese source suited to both foliar spray and soil application for correcting confirmed deficiency.
• Corrects grey speck disease in wheat, mottle leaf in citrus and interveinal chlorosis in paddy, sugarcane and soybean.
• Supports the photosynthesis enzyme system directly, giving a visible improvement in leaf colour and vigour once corrected.
• Useful on light, sandy or high-pH/calcareous soils where manganese deficiency is most likely to occur.
• Compatible with most common fertilizers and crop-protection products in a tank mix (a jar-compatibility test is still recommended before mixing).

Recommended Usage of Manganese Sulphate Fertilizer

University extension guidance for manganese correction in wheat recommends a foliar spray at a fixed percentage concentration rather than a per-acre quantity, since manganese sulphate is dosed by spray-solution strength; the same approach is used across the other crops below, following the same general percentage range recommended for manganese sulphate foliar correction, alongside a soil application option for confirmed-deficient fields.

*The soil-application figure for wheat is converted from a per-hectare basal-dose figure (1 ha ≈ 2.47 acres) for confirmed-deficient fields, and is used only where soil manganese status has been confirmed low; foliar doses above are expressed as a percentage/concentration rather than a per-acre quantity, since foliar micronutrient sprays are dosed by spray-solution strength, not land area. Always confirm the current product label before use and consult your local agricultural extension office for soil-test-based recommendations.

How to Use

1. Confirm manganese deficiency symptoms against the Symptom Guide above, and where possible get a soil test done through your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) before deciding between foliar and soil application.
2. Dissolve the required quantity of Manganese Sulphate fully in a small amount of water first, then add it to the spray tank and top up to the required volume while stirring.
3. Spray using a knapsack or power sprayer fitted with a flat-fan or fine mist nozzle, ensuring uniform coverage of both leaf surfaces.
4. Spray during the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation and improve leaf uptake; avoid spraying in strong sunlight or just before rain.
5. Repeat the spray after 15–20 days if deficiency symptoms persist in new growth, following the crop-wise schedule in the table above.

Precautions & Safety

• Wear basic protective clothing and gloves while mixing and spraying, as a routine precaution for any agricultural input.
• Do not exceed the recommended concentration — spraying manganese at a higher-than-labelled concentration can cause leaf scorch rather than faster correction.
• Avoid tank-mixing with strongly alkaline products without a jar-compatibility test, since manganese availability and stability in solution can be affected by pH.
• Store in the original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, food, feed and out of reach of children and livestock.
• This fertilizer is a supplement to, not a replacement for, balanced soil fertilization — follow your local agricultural extension advice on fitting it into your overall soil-nutrition programme.
• Wash hands, face and any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water after handling or spraying.

Brand names mentioned on this page are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are referenced here for identification purposes only; FarmMate is not affiliated with or endorsed by these brands. This page is for general information only — always consult your local agricultural extension office and confirm the current product label before use.