Plant nutrients & its role

By – Vigyan Ashram , Pabal

Macro vs Micro NutrientsMacro nutrients are required by the plant in

relatively large amountsMicro nutrients are required only in small

amountsminor or trace elements

Macro nutrientsNon-mineral

elementscarbon (C)hydrogen (H)oxygen (O)

Primary NutrientsNitrogen (N)Phosphorus (P)Potassium (K)

Secondary Nutrientscalcium (Ca)magnesium (Mg)sulfur (S)

Micro nutrientsIron (Fe)Copper (Cu)Zinc (Zn)Boron (B)Molybdenum (Mo)Manganese (Mn)Chlorine (Cl)

Functions of NitrogenPromotes growth of leaves and stemsGives dark green color and improves quality

of foliageNecessary to develop cell proteins and

chlorophyll

Materials Supplying Nitrogen -

NitrogenDeficiency symptoms

sick, yellow-green colorshort stems, small leaves, pale colored leaves

and flowersslow and dwarfed plant growth

Nitrogen deficiency

Functions of PhosphorusStimulates early formation and growth of

rootsProvides for fast and vigorous growth and

speeds maturityStimulates flowering and seed developmentNecessary for the enzyme action of many

plant processes

Materials Supplying Phosphorus -

PhosphorusDeficiency symptoms

decrease in growthslow maturityolder leaves are purplish color

Phosphorus Deficiency

Functions of PotassiumUsed to form carbohydrates and proteinsFormation and transfer of starches, sugars

and oilsIncreases disease resistance, vigor and

hardiness

Materials Supplying Potassium -

PotassiumDeficiency symptoms

mottled, spotted, streaked or curled leavesscorched, burned, dead leaf tips and margins

Functions of CalciumImproves plant vigorInfluences intake and synthesis of other plant

nutrientsImportant part of cell walls

CalciumDeficiency symptoms

small developing leaveswrinkled older leavesdead stem tips

Functions of MagnesiumInfluences the intake of other essential

nutrientsHelps make fatsAssists in translocation of phosphorus and

fats

MagnesiumDeficiency symptoms

Interveinal chlorosis-yellowing of leaves between green veins

leaf tips curl or cup upwardslender, weak stalks

Functions of SulfurPromotes root growth and vigorous

vegetative growthEssential to protein formation

SulfurDeficiency symptoms

young leaves are light green with lighter color veins

yellow leaves and stunted growth

IronFunctions of Iron

Essential for chlorophyll productionHelps carry electrons to mix oxygen with other

elementsDeficiency symptoms

mottled and interveinal chlorosis in young leaves

stunted growth and slender, short stems

CopperFunctions

Helps in the use of IronHelps respiration

Deficiency symptomsyoung leaves are small and permanently wiltmultiple buds at stem tip

Copper Deficiency

ZincFunctions

plant metabolismhelps form growth hormonesreproduction

Deficiency symptomsretarded growth between nodes (rosetted)new leaves are thick and smallspotted between veins, discolored veins

BoronFunctions

affects water absorption by rootstranslocation of sugars

Deficiency Symptomsshort, thick stem tipsyoung leaves of terminal buds are light green

at baseleaves become twisted and die

ManganeseFunctions

plant metabolismnitrogen transformation

Deficiency symptomsinterveinal chlorosisyoung leaves die

MolybdenumFunctions

plant developmentreproduction

Deficiency symptomsstunted growthyellow leaves, upward curling leaves, leaf

margins burn

ChlorineFunctions

essential to some plant processesacts in enzyme systems

Deficiency symptomsusually more problems with too much chlorine

or toxicity than with deficiency