While considered a micronutrient , molybdenum is essential to the growth and vitality of African Violets. It plays an important role in the conversion of nitrogen into usable compounds and contributes to the production of chlorophyll which give the leaves of African Violets their deep, green color. The most common cause of Molybdenum Deficiency is either a lack of available molybdenum in the soil or a pH imbalance in the soil which is inhibiting the absorption of all nutrients. Distinguishing Symptoms Leaves pale on the edge .
Edges appear yellow in color.
This is called Leaf Tip Burn, and it is brown in color. If your African Violet exhibits these symptoms, there is a good chance that it is suffering from a Molybdenum Deficiency. Assuming the absence of other symptoms, it is almost certainly suffering from some form of nutrient imbalance. However, due to the complex interaction between plant nutrients, it is often very difficult to pinpoint the precise element causing problems. Often, an excess of one element will cause a deficiency in one or more other elements, and vice versa.