1. UNIVERSITY OF ALLHABAD
BOTANY DEPARTMENT
BOT-
TOPIC – MINERAL NUTRITION
SUBMITTED TO – Prof. Sheo Mohan Prasad
Dr. Manoj Kumar
SUBMITTED BY -
2. Plants ‘Miners of Earth Crust’
• Plants are autotrophs which convert
inorganic nutrients into organic
compounds.
• They absorb these nutrients from the
air , water and soil.
• Plants are the miners of earth’s crust
(Epstein) because of their large surface
area of roots and their ability to absorb
nutrients at low concentration from
the soil.
3. Mineral Nutrition
• The study of how plants obtain and use mineral
nutrients is called mineral nutrition.
• Mineral nutrients are elements that plants
acquire in the form of ions from the soil.
• Soil is the reservoir of a lot of nutrients .
• These nutrients are essential for plants and
increase in nutrient availability in soil increases
the plant yield . So, nutrients are also applied
artificially.
4. Essential Nutrients
• The elements which are the intrinsic component in the structure or
metabolism of plant or whose absence causes severe abnormalities in
plant growth , development, or reproduction are called Essential
Nutrients(Arnon and Stout ;Epstein and Bloom).
• Essential nutrients are of two types on the basis of their relative
concentration in plants-
5. • Mengel and Kirkby proposed that essential elements should be
classified according to their biochemical role and physiological
function.
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9. Special Techniques used in Nutritional Studies
Hydroponics-
• The technique of growing plants with
their roots immersed in a nutrient solution
without soil is called Hydroponics.(Gericke
1937)
• It was first demonstrated by German
scientist Julius von Sachs in 1860.
• This technique has two forms-
10. Nutrient Film Technique
• In this technique the plants
roots lie on the surface of a
trough ,and nutrient
solution flow in thin layer
along the trough over the
roots.
11. Aeroponics
• In this technique plants are
grown with their roots
suspended in air while
being sprayed continuously
with a nutrient solution.
12. Ebb and Flow System
• In this system the plants
roots are periodically
immersed in the nutrient
solution and then the
solution is recedes
exposing roots to a moist
atmosphere .
13. Formulations of Nutrient Solution
• Early formulation was prepared by Knop which in clude only KNO3, Ca
(NO3)2, KH2PO4, MgSO4 and iron salt.
• Nowdays, Modified Hogaland Solution is used which contains all the
require mineral elements needed for rapid plant growth.
• In this formulation nitrogen is supplied as both ammonium and nitrate
so that the pH remain maintained.
• Chelators like citric acid ,tartaric acid , ethylenediaminetetraactetic acid
(EDTA) or diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) are added to
ensure the availability of cations such as Fe, Ca.
14. Mobile and Immobile Elements
• The term mobile and immobile nutrients refer to the transportability of these
substances within the plants.
• If an essential nutrient is mobile deficiency symptoms will appear first on the older
leaves.
• If the deficient nutrient is immobile then the symptoms will first appear on the younger
leaves.
15. Mineral Deficiencies
• An inadequate supply of an
essential element results in a
nutritional disorder
manifested by characteristic
deficiency symptoms.
