Liebig’s Law of the Minimum describes the principle that plant growth and yield are constrained by the nutrient in shortest supply, rather than by the total amount of nutrients available.

This concept is often visualized as a barrel whose capacity is limited by its shortest stave. In agronomic terms, crop yield potential can only reach the level supported by the most limiting nutrient—such as boron or zinc—regardless of excess availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium.

Increasing one nutrient beyond sufficiency cannot compensate for a deficiency in another. This law emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining balanced nutrient availability across all essential elements to achieve optimal physiological function and maximum yield expression.