plant nutrients

2. Plant Nutrients
Sixteen chemical elements
are known to be important
to a plant growth &
survival. We can divide
these elements under 2
main groups.
⚫Non - Mineral Nutrients
⚫Mineral Nutrients

3. Non - Mineral Nutrients :
Non - Mineral Nutrients are C, H, and O.
These are found in air and water.
Mineral Nutrients :
There is 13 mineral nutrients
These nutrients are divided
in to 2 groups
⚫Micronutrients
⚫Macronutrients

4. Macronutrients
⚫Macronutrients can divide in to 2
major groups.
⚫They are,
Primary Nutrients - N, P
, K
Secondary Nutrients - Ca, Mg, S

5. Micronutrients
⚫Micronutrients are the elements which are
essential for plant growth only in very small
quantities .
⚫The Micronutrients are
Mn
Mo
Zn
B
Cl
Cu
Fe

7. Nitrogen - N
⚫All the essential nutrients Nitrogen is required
by plants in large amounts.
⚫Forms of absorption - NO3 , NH4
- +
⚫Functions :
1. Important in the growth and
development of vital plant tissues and
cells.
2. Helps to hold genetic code in the plant
nutrients.

8. 3. Gives the plant their green color.
4. Presence in the Protein and in Purine
and Pyraimidines of DNA and RNA
⚫ Deficiency :
1. The chlorophyll content of plant leaves
is reduced.
2. Flowering, fruiting, protein and starch
contents are reduced.

9. ⚫Toxicity :
1. Dark green leaves and foliage.
2. Leaf tips may turn down
3. Yellowing on the affected leaves.
4. Claw leaves will eventually start turning
yellow, getting spots and dying.
⚫ Mobility :
Nitrogen is mobility nutrient
Deficiency appears on older leaves first

12. Phosperous - P
⚫Phosperous is a chemical element symbol P
atomic number 15.
⚫Phosperous in two major forms.
1. White Phosperous
2. Red Phosperous
⚫It is highly reactive.
⚫It near found as a free element on Earth.

13. ⚫Function :
1. Responsible for the regulation of
protein synthesis.
2. Increased stalk and stem strength
3. Increased flower formation and seed
production
4. Increased resistance to plant diseases.
5. Stimulate root development.
6. Increased N fixing capacity of legumes.

14. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Plants are stunted and older leaves
often dark dull green in color.
2. Stems and leafstalks may turn purple.
3. Plant maturity is often delayed.
4. Plant will be dwarfed or stunted.

15. ⚫Toxicity :
 Very rare and usually buffered by
 PH limitations.
 Excess P can interfere with the
availability of Copper and zinc.
⚫Mobility :
P is a highly mobile nutrients.
 Deficiency symptoms will appear
in older leaves.

18. Potassium - K
⚫Commonly considered as the quality nutrient
Plants absorb K in ionic form
⚫Highly mobile
⚫Function :
1. Control the opening and closing of the stomata
2. Important in the biochemical reaction in plant
3. Activates enzymes responsible for specific
function
4. Facilitates protein and starch synthesis in plants
5. Place a role in osmoregulation of water and
other salts in plant tissues and cells

19. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Chlorosis may cause yellowing of
leaves Lead to shedding and defoliation
of the leaves
2. Stunted growth Lead to slow growth
or poor developed roots and stems
⚫Toxicity :
Leaf tip and marginal necrosis

22. Calcium - Ca
⚫Form of absorption - Ca2+
⚫Function :
1. Stimulate ammonium absorption
2. In the form of Calcium Pectate
responsible for holding together the cell
walls of plants.
3. Important in guard cell physiology
specially in stomata closure.

23. 4. Used activating certain enzymes and to
send signals that coordinate certain
cellular activity.
⚫ Deficiency :
 Young leaves and fruit display Calcium
deficiencies first.
 Blossom end root of tomatoes is a
classic case of Calcium deficiency
 Yellow brown spots surrounded by a
sharp brown outline edge.

24. ⚫Toxicity :
Rarely occurs
High level of Calcium can compete with
Magnesium and Potassium uptake
causing their deficiencies.

27. Magnesium - Mg
⚫Form of absorption - Mg2+
⚫High Mobility
⚫Function :
1. Chlorophyll Formation
2. Synthesis of amino acids and cell
proteins
3. Resistance to unfavorable factors
4. Vitamin A and C concentrations

28. ⚫Deficiency :
Deficiency are not common
1. Yellowing between leaf veins,
sometimes with reddish brown tints
2. Early leaf fall.
⚫ Toxicity :
Magnesium toxicity are rare and not
generally exhibited visibly.

30. Sulfur - S
⚫Essential for the growth and development of
all crops
⚫Absorbed through the roots in the form of
Sulphate
⚫Immobile nutrient
⚫Function :
1. Formation of chlorophyll
2. Production of proteins
3. Synthesis of oils in oilseeds
4. Activation of enzymes

31. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Yellowing of the entire leaf including
veins ,usually starting with the younger
leaves
2. Leaf tips may yellow and curl downward
⚫Toxicity :
1. Leaf size will be reduce
2. Overall growth will be stunted
3. Leaves yellowing or scorched at edges

35. BORON - B
⚫B uptake by plant is controlled by the B level in
soil solution rather than the total B content in
soil
⚫B uptake is a passive processes
⚫It moves with water in plant tissue accumulate
in the leaves

36. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Limited budding
2. Bud break
3. Distorted shoot growth
4. Short internodes increased branching
⚫Toxicity :
1. Chlorotic leaf tips
2. Leaf necrosis
3. Leaf falling
4. An even plant death

38. Chlorine - Cl
⚫Cl is needed in small quantities and aids
in plants metabolism, photosynthesis,
osmosis and ionic balance within the cell
⚫Function :
1. Participates in several physiological
metabolism processes.
 Plant growth and development.
 Osmotic and stomata regulation
 Evolution of oxygen in
photosynthesis.

39. 2.
3.
4.
Diseases resistance and
tolerance.
Important in the opening
and closing of stomata
Chloride function in cation
balance and transport within
the plant.

40. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Cl deficiency can occur if there is consistently less
than 2ppm Chloride in the growing medium.
2. Chlorotic blotches with necrotic spots located
between the veins or on the margin of the
younger leaves.
3. In advance cases chloride deficiency could cause
plant wilting
⚫Toxicity :
 Chloride toxicity starts as premature yellow in of
leaves then in marginal or tip necrosis of older
leaves

42. Cupper - Cu
⚫Cu is essential to the plant growth. Among other things it
plays a part in several enzyme productions and its key to
the formation of chlorophyll.
⚫Normal range of in the growing medium is 0.05 to 0.5
ppm.
⚫Although cu deficiencies or toxicities rarely occure, it is
best to avoid either extreme as both can have negative
impact on crop.

43. Functions :
1. Activates some enzymes in plant which are
involved in lignin synthesis and it is essential
in several enzyme system.
2. Require in the process of photosynthesis,
respiration and assist in plant metabolism of
carbohydrates and proteins.
3. Serves flavor and colour in vegetables and
flowers.

44. ⚫Deficiencies :
1. Deficiency symptoms occur in newer plants.
2. Symptoms start as chlorosis of either whole leaf
or between the veins of newer leaves.
3. With the chlorotic areas of the leaf, small
necrotic spots may form, especially on the leaf
margin.
4. Leaves become small in size, become wilt.
5. Apical meristem may become necrotic and die.
6. Inhibit the growth of the lateral branches.

45. ⚫Toxicity :
1. Excess Cu can restrict root growth by
burning the root tips.
2. Compete with plant uptake of Fe and
sometimes Mo or Zn.
3. Reduce branching and eventually plant
die.

48. IR0N - Fe
⚫Iron is very important to the health
and growth of plants.
⚫Form of absorption Ferus and Feric ions.
⚫Iron is needed in the greatest quantity and its
availability is dependent on the Ph of the
growing medium.
⚫Fe immobile

49. ⚫Functions :
1. Essential for chlorophyll formation.
2. Component of cytochromes.
3. Essential for N fixation
4. Assist in nitrate and sulphate reduction
and energy production within the plant.

50. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Expressed as and interveinal chlorosis of
the new leaves
2. Fe chlosis develops when soil Ph is high
⚫Toxicity :
Occurs due to a low growing medium PH
or from and excessive application of iron

53. Manganese - Mn
⚫Mn is required by plants in the second greatest
quantity compared to iron
⚫Absorb through the roots in the form of Mn ion
⚫Immobile nutrient
⚫Functions :
1. Required for chlorophyll synthesis
2. Required for Oxygen evolution during
photosynthesis
3. Activate some enzymes systems

54. 4. Contributor to various biological
systems including photosynthesis
respiration and Nitrogen assimilation
5. Involved in pollen germination,
pollen tube growth, roots cell
elongation
6. Resistance to root pathogeneses
⚫Deficiency :
1. Similar to Fe chlorosis
2. Interveinal chlorosis on younger or
older leaves followed by lesionso leaf
shading
3. Restricted growth and failure to mature

55. 4. Sunken spots that appear in the
chlrotic areas between the veins
5. Mn deficiency can occur when the Ph
of the growing medium exceeds 6.5
⚫Toxicity :
1. Mn toxicity can occur if the fertilizer
application rate is excessive
2. They can occur when the Ph of the
growing media below 5.5
3. Burning of the tips and margin of older
leaves as reddish brown sports across
older leaves
4. Forming patches on the older leaves

59. Molibdenum - Mo
⚫Needed in the smallest quantities by plants.
⚫Normal range 0.3 - 1.5 ppm
⚫Toxicity or deficiency is not common.
⚫Function :
1. Component in 2 enzymes that convert
nitrate in to nitrite and then in to
ammonia before it is used to synthesize
amino acids with in the plant.
2. Needed to symbiotic N fixing bacteria in
legumes to fix atmospheric nitrogen.

60. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Deficiency can easily resembles N
deficiency.
2. Mobile within the plant so deficiency
symptoms show up on older & middle
leaves
3. Show up as thin chlorotic leaf margins
around the leaf perimeter & then the
margin become necrotic.
4. Whole leaf turns pale.

63. Zinc - Zn
⚫Forms of absorption – Zn2+
⚫Functions :
1. Help to plant produce chlorophyll
important to photosynthesis.
2. A constituent of certain enzymes.

64. ⚫Deficiency :
1. Growth suppression, reduced internode
length, rosetting
2. Interveinal chlorosis on young leaves.
⚫ Toxicity :
Occurs at low PH
Growth reduction, Leaf chlorosis
⚫ Mobility :
Zn is immobile in tissues.