Molybdenum guide
Molybdenum is a micronutrient the crop needs in very small amounts to turn nitrate into protein and, in legumes, for the nodule bacteria to...
Read the full guideMolybdenum and legumes: nodules, nitrogen and seed treatment
How molybdenum lets Rhizobium bacteria fix nitrogen in pulses, why acid soils run short, and how seed treatment supplies it cheaply.
Legumes get much of their nitrogen from the air through bacteria living in root nodules. The enzyme those bacteria use contains molybdenum, so without it the nodules cannot fix nitrogen and the crop goes pale. Because only a tiny amount is needed, treating the seed with a molybdenum salt together with Rhizobium culture is the cheapest way to supply it.
By Gafar Laiya and the Gujarat Bio Organics team. Updated November 2026.
Why legumes need more
- Nitrogen fixation in nodules depends on a molybdenum enzyme.
- The plant also needs molybdenum to use any nitrate it takes from the soil.
- Cobalt is also needed by the nodule bacteria; see the cobalt page.
Seed treatment
- Treat seed with Rhizobium culture for the crop.
- Add molybdenum as advised for your soil.
- Dry in shade and sow soon after treatment.
- Avoid mixing with fungicide seed treatments unless the label allows it.
Acid soils
- Molybdenum is least available at low pH.
- Liming acid soils often solves it without extra molybdenum.
Read more
Doses depend on the crop, soil and product, so this page gives methods, not amounts. Take the dose from your soil test report, the product label or your local agriculture officer or KVK. Results differ from farm to farm with soil, weather, crop and management. Farmer experiences on this site are their own reports, not a promise of results.
Read next
Molybdenum deficiency symptoms crop by crop
How molybdenum deficiency looks in pulses, soybean, groundnut, cauliflower, citrus and vegetables, and why it is often mistaken for nitrogen shortage.
Read the full guideHow Gujarat Bio Organics can help
Since 2006, lakhs of farmers from Kashmir to Kanyakumari have used Immunity products on almost every crop: from the mango farms around Somnath to the apple orchards of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, the tea estates of Assam and Darjeeling, and the banana, coconut and cardamom farms of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Each Special is one formula made for one crop and its common problems. Tell us your crop, soil test and what you see, and our team will tell you what to check, whether a micronutrient correction is needed, and which Special fits your programme.
- Pulses guide and Immunity Pulses Special
- Groundnut (Mungfali) guide and Immunity Mungfali (Groundnut) Special
- Vegetables guide and Immunity Vegetable Special
Results differ from farm to farm with soil, weather, crop and management. Farmer experiences on this site are their own reports, not a promise of results.
Questions
Can molybdenum be mixed with Rhizobium culture?
Many growers treat seed with both. Follow the labels of both products and your agriculture officer's advice.
Do non-legumes need molybdenum?
Yes, in small amounts, to use nitrate. Cauliflower and cabbage are especially sensitive.