Function, deficiency symptoms and toxicity symptoms of all the essential nutrients are incorporated in this presentation.

1. Dr. Kiran K. Khokhar
Assistant Scientist (Soil)Assistant Scientist (Soil)
RRS, Karnal
kirankhokhar123@gmail.com
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar

2. NITROGEN
NH +,NO -NH4
+,NO3
-

3. FUNCTIONS OF NITROGEN
• It is an integral part of chlorophyll, which is needed
for photosynthesis.
• It also imparts vigorous vegetative growth and dark• It also imparts vigorous vegetative growth and dark
green color to plants.
• It governs the utilization of potassium, phosphorus
and other elements.
• The supply of nitrogen is related to carbohydrate
utilization.

4. DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS
• N deficient plants will mature early and crop quality• N deficient plants will mature early and crop quality
and yield are often reduced.
• In cereals, yellow discoloration from the leaf tip
backward in the form of a “V” is common.
• Insufficient amounts of N in cereals will also result
in few tillers, slender stalks, short heads, and grains
with low protein content.

5. PHOSPHORUS
H PO -,HPO 2-H2PO4
-,HPO4
2-

6. FUNCTIONS OF PHOSPHORUS
• It has a great role in energy storage and transfer.
• It is also an essential constituent of majority of
enzymes which are of great importance in theenzymes which are of great importance in the
transformation of energy.
• It stimulates early root development and growth and
there by helps to establish seedlings quickly.
• It is closely related to cell division and development.
• It is considered essential for seed formation.

7. DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS
P deficiency symptom are usually more noticeable in young
plants.
Cool soil during the early growing season may also be a
factor causing P deficiency .
P deficient plants generally turn dark green and appear
stunted.

8. POTASSIUM K+POTASSIUM K+

9. FUNCTIONS OF POTASSIUM
• It exists in mobile ionic and its function appears to be
primarily catalytic in nature.
• It is essential for over translocation of sugars and• It is essential for over translocation of sugars and
starch from sites .
• It helps in formation of proteins and chlorophyll.
• It imparts increased vigor and disease resistance to
plant.

10. DEFICIENY SYMPTOM
• Affected older leaves will show localized mottled area
with leaf burn at margins.
• Produced grains will be low in protein and appear
shriveled.
• As the deficiency progresses, the entire leaf will become
yellow.

11. CALCIUM Ca +CALCIUM Ca2
+

12. FUNCTIONS OF CALCIUM
• It plays important role in cell elongation & division.
• It is important for the growth of meristems and promotesIt is important for the growth of meristems and promotes
early root development.
• It protects the root cells against ion imbalance, low pH.
• It has a specific function in the organization of
chromatin or of the mitotic spindle.
• It enhance uptake of nitrate-nitrogen.

13. DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS
• Insufficient Ca can cause young leaves to become
distorted and turn abnormally dark green.
• Leaf tips often become dry and brittle and will
eventually wither and die.
• Stems are weak and germination is poor.

14. MAGNESIUM
MG2+

15. FUNCTIONS OF MAGNESIUM
• It is a constituent of chlorophyll.
• It is an activator of many enzymes system involved in• It is an activator of many enzymes system involved in
carbohydrate metabolism and synthesis of nucleic acid.
• It also activates the formation of polypeptide chains
from amino acids.
• It acts as a cofactor for certain enzyme.

16. DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS
• It include inter-veinal chlorosis and leaf margins becoming• It include inter-veinal chlorosis and leaf margins becoming
yellow or reddish-purple while the midrib remains green.
• In wheat, distinct mottling as yellowish-green patches
will occur.
• Reduced Mg concentrations in wheat forage can lead to
grass tetany.

17. SULPHUR
SO 2-SO4
2-

18. FUNCTIONS OF SULPHUR
• It is required for the synthesis of the sulphur
containing amino acids cystine, cyssteine.
• It is needed for the synthesis of other metabolites,• It is needed for the synthesis of other metabolites,
including coenzyme A, biotin.
• It is also required for the synthesis of chlorophyll.
• It is involved in the synthesis of glycosides in
mustard oil.
• It promotes nodule formation on roots of legumes.

19. DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS
• Sulphur deficiency results in the inhibition of protein and• Sulphur deficiency results in the inhibition of protein and
chlorophyll synthesis.
• Its deficiency symptoms initially occur in younger leaves,
causing them to turn light green to yellow.
• Its deficiency symptoms can be difficult to diagnose as
effects can resemble symptoms of N and Mo deficiencies.

20. IRON
Fe2+, Fe3+Fe2+, Fe3+

21. FUNCTIONS OF IRON
• It helps in the formation of chlorophyll.
• It is a structural component of porphyrin molecules• It is a structural component of porphyrin molecules
like cytochromes, hemes, hematin.
• It is also a structural component of non-heme
molecules like ferredoxins.
• It is a constituent of enzyme systems and so it helps
for carrying out different enzymatic reaction in
plants.

22. DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS
• Its deficiency reduces chlorophyll production and is
characterized by inter veinal chlorosis with a sharp
distinction between veins and chlorotic areas in young
leaves.
• The entire leaf will become whitish-yellow and progress
to necrosis.
• Slow plant growth also occurs.

23. ZINC
Zn2+Zn2+

24. FUNCTIONS OF ZINC
• It influences the formation of some growth hormones
(IAA, GA).(IAA, GA).
• It is helpful in reproduction of certain plants.
• It is associated with water uptake and water relations
in the plants.
• It also influences translocation and transport of P.
• It also stabilizes ribosomal fractions.

25. DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS
• Its deficiency symptoms will initially show up in middle
leaves.leaves.
• Zn deficient leaves display intervienal chlorosis, midway
between the margin and midrib.
• Its deficiencies will cause leaves to turn gray white and fall
prematurely or die.
• Flowering and seed set is also poor in affected plants.

26. COPPER
Cu+, Cu2+

27. FUNCTIONS OF COPPER
• It forms various compounds with amino acids and
proteins in the plant.
• It helps in the utilization of iron during chlorophyll• It helps in the utilization of iron during chlorophyll
synthesis.
• It is a constituent of number of enzymes such as
plastocynin.
• It is also act as electron carrier in enzymes which bring
about oxidation-reduction.

28. DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
• Its deficiency causes iron to accumulate in the nodes of
plants.plants.
• Cu deficient plants display chlorosis in younger leaves,
stunted growth, delayed maturity etc.
• These plants are prone to increased disease, specially
ergot.
• Winter & spring wheat are the most sensitive crops to
Cu deficiency.

29. MANGANESE
Mn2+, Mn4+Mn2+, Mn4+

30. FUNCTIONS OF MANGANESE
• Its function is closely related with iron and supports
the movement of iron in the plant.
• It helps in chlorophyll formation.
• It is needed for maximal activity of many enzyme• It is needed for maximal activity of many enzyme
reactions in the citric cycle.
• It takes part in electron transport system II.
• It influences auxin levels in the plants.

31. DEFICIENCIES SYMPTOMS
• Its deficiency shows intervienal chlorosis in young
leaves.
• Unlike iron, there is no sharp distinction between
veins and intervienal areas.veins and intervienal areas.
• Mn deficiencies in arable crops are grey specks in oats
and marsh spots in pea.

32. BORON
H BO , H BO -, HBO 2-,H3BO3, H2BO3
-, HBO3
2-,
B4O7
2-

33. FUNCTIONS OF BORON
• It is associated with the calcium metabolism.
• It acts as a regulator of K/Ca ratio in the plants.
• It is concerned with precipitating excess cations,
buffer action.buffer action.
• It is required for the development of new cells in
meristematic tissue.
• It is proper pollination and fruit or seed setting.

34. DEFICIENCIES SYMPTOMS
• Boron deficiency exhibit chlorotic young leaves and
death ofn the main growing point.
• Leaves ,ay develop dark brown, irregular lesions that
will progress to the leaf necrosis.will progress to the leaf necrosis.
• Affected plants will grow slowly and appear stunted.
• Flower buds may fail to form or are misshappen.

35. MOLYBDENUM
(MoO4
2- )

36. FUNCTIONS OF MOLYBDENUM
• It is essential component of the major enzyme
nitrate reductase in plants.
• It is also a structural component of nitrogenase.
• Molybdenum is also reported to have an essential• Molybdenum is also reported to have an essential
role in iron absorption and translocation in plants.
• The molybdenum requirement of plants is influenced
by the form of inorganic nitrogen supplied to plants.

37. DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
• It is needed for enzyme activity in the plant and
for nitrogen fixation in legumes.
• Its deficiency symptoms resemble N deficiency
symptoms with stunted growth and chlorosissymptoms with stunted growth and chlorosis
occurring in legumes.
• Pale leaves that may be scorched, cupped, or
rolled.

38. CHLORINECHLORINE
Cl-

39. FUNCTIONS OF CHLORINE
• It plays important role in osmoregulation and charge
compensation in higher plants.
• It act as a cofactor in Mn containing water splitting
enzyme of photo system II.enzyme of photo system II.
• It improves the nutritional quality of vegetables by
lowering the NO3-N concentration in tissue.
• Cl in abundance suppresses the plant diseases.

40. DEFICIENCIES SYMPTOMS
• Deficiency symptoms of chlorine are similar to that of
Mo deficiency that include wilting of leaves, curling
of leaflets and chlorosis.

41. NICKEL
Ni2+Ni2+

42. FUNCTIONS OF NICKEL
• Nickel is associated in nitrogen metabolism by way of
influencing urease activity.
• In free living Rhizobia, adequate Ni supply ensures
optimum hydrogenase activity.optimum hydrogenase activity.
• It facilitates transport of nutrients to the seeds or
grain.

43. DEFICIENCIES SYMPTOMS
• Reduction in dry matter weight, decrease in amino
acid content and accumulation of nitrates.
Characteristic deficiency symptoms of Ni have not yet
been defined adequately.been defined adequately.

44. SYMBOL OF TRUST