This document discusses macro and micro nutrients that are important for plant growth. It defines macro nutrients as those needed in large amounts, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Micro nutrients, also called trace elements, are needed in small amounts and include iron, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum and manganese. It provides details on the functions and deficiency symptoms of each of the major macro and micro nutrients.

1. By – Vigyan Ashram , Pabal

2. Macro vs Micro Nutrients
Macro nutrients are required by the plant in
relatively large amounts
Micro nutrients are required only in small amounts
minor or trace elements

3. Macro nutrients
Non-mineral elements
carbon (C)
hydrogen (H)
oxygen (O)
Primary Nutrients
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Secondary Nutrients
calcium (Ca)
magnesium (Mg)
sulfur (S)

4. Micro nutrients
Iron (Fe)
Copper (Cu)
Zinc (Zn)
Boron (B)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Manganese (Mn)
Chlorine (Cl)

5. Functions of Nitrogen
Promotes growth of leaves and stems
Gives dark green color and improves quality of foliage
Necessary to develop cell proteins and chlorophyll

6. Materials Supplying Nitrogen -

7. Nitrogen
Deficiency symptoms
sick, yellow-green color
short stems, small leaves, pale colored leaves and
flowers
slow and dwarfed plant growth

8. Nitrogen deficiency

9. Functions of Phosphorus
Stimulates early formation and growth of roots
Provides for fast and vigorous growth and speeds
maturity
Stimulates flowering and seed development
Necessary for the enzyme action of many plant
processes

10. Materials Supplying Phosphorus -

11. Phosphorus
Deficiency symptoms
decrease in growth
slow maturity
older leaves are purplish color

12. Phosphorus Deficiency

13. Functions of Potassium
Used to form carbohydrates and proteins
Formation and transfer of starches, sugars and oils
Increases disease resistance, vigor and hardiness

14. Materials Supplying Potassium -

15. Potassium
Deficiency symptoms
mottled, spotted, streaked or curled leaves
scorched, burned, dead leaf tips and margins

17. Functions of Calcium
Improves plant vigor
Influences intake and synthesis of other plant
nutrients
Important part of cell walls

18. Calcium
Deficiency symptoms
small developing leaves
wrinkled older leaves
dead stem tips

20. Functions of Magnesium
Influences the intake of other essential nutrients
Helps make fats
Assists in translocation of phosphorus and fats

21. Magnesium
Deficiency symptoms
Interveinal chlorosis-yellowing of leaves between green
veins
leaf tips curl or cup upward
slender, weak stalks

23. Functions of Sulfur
Promotes root growth and vigorous vegetative growth
Essential to protein formation

24. Sulfur
Deficiency symptoms
young leaves are light green with lighter color veins
yellow leaves and stunted growth

26. Iron
Functions of Iron
Essential for chlorophyll production
Helps carry electrons to mix oxygen with other
elements
Deficiency symptoms
mottled and interveinal chlorosis in young leaves
stunted growth and slender, short stems

28. Copper
Functions
Helps in the use of Iron
Helps respiration
Deficiency symptoms
young leaves are small and permanently wilt
multiple buds at stem tip

29. Copper Deficiency

30. Zinc
Functions
plant metabolism
helps form growth hormones
reproduction
Deficiency symptoms
retarded growth between nodes (rosetted)
new leaves are thick and small
spotted between veins, discolored veins

32. Boron
Functions
affects water absorption by roots
translocation of sugars
Deficiency Symptoms
short, thick stem tips
young leaves of terminal buds are light green at base
leaves become twisted and die

34. Manganese
Functions
plant metabolism
nitrogen transformation
Deficiency symptoms
interveinal chlorosis
young leaves die

36. Molybdenum
Functions
plant development
reproduction
Deficiency symptoms
stunted growth
yellow leaves, upward curling leaves, leaf margins burn

38. Chlorine
Functions
essential to some plant processes
acts in enzyme systems
Deficiency symptoms
usually more problems with too much chlorine or
toxicity than with deficiency