This document discusses essential plant nutrients and their functions. It identifies 16 essential nutrients that are grouped into primary, secondary, and micro nutrients based on the amount needed by plants. Primary nutrients include carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Micro or trace nutrients in tiny amounts are boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. Each nutrient affects specific plant growth functions such as carbon for carbohydrates, nitrogen for proteins, and phosphorus for energy transfer. The document provides examples of how each nutrient promotes processes like photosynthesis, enzyme reactions, and plant development.

1. INDIRA GANDHI KRISHI VISHWAVIDYALAYA
RAIPUR (C.G)
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, RAIPUR
SESSION: 2019-20
ASSIGNMENT
ON
ESSENTIAL PLANT NUTRIENTS-THEIR FUNCTIONS
Course Name- Soil fertility and nutrient management
Course No. - AGRON-502
Credit - 3(2+1)
SUBMITTED TO:-
Mrs. Ambika Tandon
(Department of Agronomy)
SUBMITTED BY:-
RavishankarSahu
M.Sc. previous year
(Department of Agricultural Extension)

2. 2
INDEX
Sr. No. Particular Page No.
1. Essential plant nutrient 03
2. Functions of essential plant nutrients 04
3. References 06

3. 3
ESSENTIALPLANT NUTRIENTS
Scientists have identified 16 essential nutrients and grouped them
according to the relative amount of each that plants need. (Arnon & Stout 1939).
 Primary nutrients, also known as macronutrients, are those usually required in the largest amounts.
They are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and potassium.
(C,H,O,N,P,K)
 Secondary nutrients are those usually needed in moderate amounts compared to the primary essential
nutrients.
They are calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
(Ca,Mg,S)
 Micro- or trace nutrients are required in tiny amounts compared to primary or secondary nutrients.
Micronutrients.
They are boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc.
(B,Cl,Co,Fe,Mn,Mo,Ze)
A very few plants need five other nutrients: cobalt, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium.
(Co,Ni,Si,Na,V)
Each essential nutrient affects specific functions of plant growth and development.
FUNCTIONS OF ESSENTIAL PLANT NUTRIENTS
 Carbon- Basic molecular component of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
 Hydrogen- Hydrogen plays a central role in plant metabolism. Important in ionic balance and as main
reducing agent and plays a key role in energy relations of cells.
 Oxygen- Oxygen is somewhat like carbon in that it occurs in virtually all organic compounds of living
organisms.
 Nitrogen- Nitrogen is a component of many important organic compounds ranging from proteins to
nucleic acids.
 It makes plant dark green & succulent.
 It promotes vegetative growth.
 Phosphorus- Central role in plants is in energy transfer and protein metabolism.
 It stimulates root development, increases the number of tillers, gives strength to straw and
prevents lodging.
 It hastens ripening of plants and counteracts the effects of excessive nitrogen.

4. 4
 Potassium- Helps in osmotic and ionic regulation. Potassium functions as a cofactor or activator for
many enzymes of carbohydrate and protein metabolism.
 Vigour and disease resistance to plants.
 It increases efficiency of the leaf in manufacturing sugars and starch.
 It helps to produce stiff straw in cereals and reduces lodging
 Calcium- Calcium is involved in cell division and plays a major role in the maintenance of membrane
integrity.
 Increases stiffness of straw and promotes early root development and growth.
 It encourages seed production.
 Magnesium- Component of chlorophyll and a cofactor for many enzymatic reactions.
 It is essential for all green plants.
 Helps in uptake of phosphorus and regulates uptake of other nutrients.
 Sulfur- Sulfur is somewhat like phosphorus in that it is involved in plant cell energetic.
 It stimulates root growth, seed formation and nodule formation.
 Iron- An essential component of many heme and nonheme Fe enzymes and carries, including the
cytochromes (respiratory electron carriers) and the ferredoxins. The latter are involved in key metabolic
function such as N fixation, photosynthesis, and electron transfer.
 Essential for formation of chlorophyll and synthesis of proteins and several metabolic reactions.
 Manganese- Involved in the O2 – evolving system of photosynthesis and is a component of the enzymes
arginase and phospho transferases.
 It helps in chlorophyll formation.
 Zinc- Essential component of servral dehydrogenases, and peptidases, including carbonic anhydrase,
alcohol dehydrogenase, glutamic dehydrogenase, and malic dehdrogenase, among others.
 It helps information of growth hormones and chlorophyll.
 Copper- Constituent of a number of important enzymes, including cytochrome oxidize, ascorbic acid
oxidase, and laccase.
 It regulates respiratory activities in plants.
 Boron- Involved in carbohydrate metabolism and synthesis of cell wall components.
 helps in uptake of calcium and its efficient use by plants.
 helps in absorption of nitrogen and is necessary in cell division.

5. 5
 Molybdenum- Required for the normal assimilation of N in plants. An essential component of nitrate
reductase as well as nitrogenase (N2 fixation enzyme)
 It is essential for nitrogen fixing organisms both symbiotic and non-symbiotic.
 Chlorine- Essential for photosynthesis and as an activator of enzymes involved in splitting water. It also
functions in osmoregulation of plants growing on saline soils.
 It is considered essential for photosynthetic process.

6. 6
References:-
 https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/essential-nutrients-for-plants/
 http://www.agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/agri_min_nutri_essentialelements.html
 http://oer.nios.ac.in/wiki/index.php/Functions_of_Plant_Nutrients