Fertiliser burn: a row of scorched seedlings along the band
Move the granules, dilute, wait for new roots. Do not add another bag.
- Leaf scorch and black root tips within days of fertiliser; granules visible in the seed furrow, in a stripe.
- Drought eases after water. A burn can wilt more after a light watering.
- Rot is patchy, with lesions. A burn follows the fertiliser stripe.
- Leaf scorch and black root tips within days; granules in the furrow; a stripe.
- Don’t add more fertiliser after a burn.
- Don’t use clay rates on sand.
- Starter distance from the seed: Side-band a few centimetres deep. Do not put it against the seed
- Keep starter off the seed.
- After a burn: stop, flush.
- A stripe down the furrow with granules still visible is a burn.
What you see in the field
Within days of a dressing, leaves scorch and roots blacken in a line along the seed furrow or dripper. Scrape the soil and you see undissolved granules. Compare that row with plants that missed the band. Seedlings are more sensitive. A row of scorch next to green plants is not a field-wide disease. Read the calendar: did you just fertilise?
Tap to enlarge. The caption says what to photograph. Missing field photos are marked as to-be-added.
Why it looks like this
Granules against the root raise the salt around it; the root cannot take water and cells burn. Urea, raw manure and overly strong drip all do this. Seedling roots are shallow and sit on the band. Separate fertiliser from the root, dilute, wait. Do not “fix” it with another bag.
A sketch. Do not fertilise from the picture alone.Easy to mix up
Looks like “Spray scorch”
Spray injury often has a boom edge and spots on the blade. Fertiliser burn follows the furrow or dripper; scrape and you see granules.
Looks like “Disease die-off”
Disease is often scattered, with spots or a pinched stem base. Fertiliser burn follows the dressing by days, in a row, with black roots.
Do this / don’t do that
- 1Ask whether you just fertilised and whether scorch follows a row. Scrape the furrow for granules. If it matches, do not add another bag.
- 2Move granules off the root and water to dilute. If drip was too strong, make the next tank weaker.
- 3Wait for new roots, then a thin feed. This page does not print a bag count. Do not bury raw manure against the root again.
Don’t do this first
- Do not fix burn with another bag.
- Do not bury raw manure against the root.
- Do not place granules against the seed.
Rate range
| Crop × texture | Texture | Rate | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maize / vegetables | Sand | Side-band a few centimetres from the seed; labelled lower rate, split | Sand below clay rates. No bag count invented here. |
These are ranges. Confirm with your local extension station and the product label.
| Cell | Low | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| EC in the band | Unlikely a burn | — | Band is brine |
One number example
Urea granules visible in the seed furrow and a row of scorched seedlings: rake granules off the root, water to dilute, wait. Do not add compound fertiliser. If drip was too strong, make the next tank weaker.
Sample along the furrow. Keep the granule band and the outside in two bags.
Lesson video
2026-03-04 · Li Zeyu · For learning. Serious damage: local agronomist or a soil test.
For learning only. Fertiliser and pesticide decisions need a local agronomist and a soil test.
Not sure? Photograph the field to identify the problem