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Copyright©2016BigBendAgri-Services,Inc.,AllRightsReserved
WhySpecificPlantNutritionIsCriticalToGrowing
HealthierPlants
AgronomyTipsByDonClark
Copyright©2016BigBendAgri-Services,Inc.,AllRightsReserved
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WHYSPECIFICPLANTNUTRITIONISCRITICAL
TOGROWINGHEALTHIERPLANTS
Requirementsforplantgrowthanddevelopment:Didyoueverwonderwhycertainnutrientsaresocriticalingrowinghealthierplants?ThiswhitepaperisabriefoverviewofwhyFertilizerisessentialtoplantgrowthanddevelopment.Improvedsoilfertilitythroughtheapplicationoffertilizernutrientsisanessentialfactorinenablingourfarmerstofeedthebillionsofpeoplethatarebeingaddedtotheworld’spopulation.
Non-MineralNutrientsarehydrogen,oxygen,andcarbonarefoundintheairandwater.Inaprocesscalledphotosynthesis.Inphotosynthesis,plantsuseenergyfromthesuntochangecarbondioxide(carbonandoxygen)andwaterintostarchesandsugars.Thesestarchesandsugarsaretheplant’sfood.
Plantsgetcarbon,hydrogen,andoxygenfromtheairandwater;howeverthemineralnutrients,whichcomefromsoil,areabsorbedthroughtheplant’sroots.Theyareabsorbedinsmalleramountsthroughtheplantsleaves.Therearenotenoughofthesesoilnutrientsforaplanttoproducelikeweneedittoyearafteryear.Thisiswhyitiscriticalthatgrowersmustapplyfertilizertoaddthevaluablenutrientstothesoilforpropergrowthanddevelopment.
Copyright©2016BigBendAgri-Services,Inc.,AllRightsReserved
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THEROLESOFESSENTIALNUTRIENTSFORPLANTGROWTHANDDEVELOPMENTNutrientsaregroupedintothreecategories:PrimaryandSecondary(Macronutrients),andMicronutrients.Mineralnutrientsaredividedintotwogroups:MacronutrientsandMicronutrients.
THEPRIMARYNUTRIENTSPrimary(macro)nutrientscanbebrokenintotwomoregroups:PrimaryandSecondarynutrients.TheprimarynutrientsareNitrogen,Phosphorus,andPotassium.Thesearerequiredinthelargestamountsinacropfertilizationprogram.
Ø POTASSIUM·Carbohydratemetabolismandthebreakdownandtranslocationofstarches·Increasesphotosynthesis·Increaseswater-useefficiency·Essentialtoproteinsynthesis·Importantinfruitformation·Activatesenzymesandcontrolstheirreactionrates·Improvesqualityofseedsandfruit·Improveswinterhardiness·Increasesdiseaseresistance
Ø PHOSPHORUS·Involvedinphotosynthesis,respiration,energystorageandtransfer,celldivision,andenlargement·Promotesearlyrootformationandgrowth·Improvesqualityoffruits,vegetables,andgrains·Vitaltoseedformation·Helpsplantssurviveharshwinterconditions·Increaseswater-useefficiency·Hastensmaturity
Ø NITROGEN·Necessaryforformationofaminoacids,thebuildingblocksofprotein·Essentialforplantcelldivision,vitalforplantgrowth·Directlyinvolvedinphotosynthesis·Necessarycomponentofvitamins·Aidsinproductionanduseofcarbohydrates·Affectsenergyreactionsintheplan
Copyright©2016BigBendAgri-Services,Inc.,AllRightsReserved
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SECONDARYNUTRIENTSThesecondary(macro)nutrientsareCalcium,SulphurandMagnesium.Formostcrops,thesethreeareneededinlesseramountsthattheprimarynutrients.
Ø CALCIUM·UtilizedforContinuouscelldivisionandformation·Involvedinnitrogenmetabolism·Reducesplantrespiration·Aidstranslocationofphotosynthesisfromleavestofruitingorgans·Increasesfruitset·Essentialfornutdevelopmentinpeanuts·Stimulatesmicrobialactivity
Ø SULPHUR·Integralpartofaminoacids·Helpsdevelopenzymesandvitamins·Promotesnoduleformationonlegumes·Aidsinseedproduction·Necessaryinchlorophyllformation(thoughitisn’toneoftheconstituents)
Ø MAGNESIUM·Keyelementofchlorophyllproduction·Improvesutilizationandmobilityofphosphorus·Activatorandcomponentofmanyplantenzymes·Directlyrelatedtograsstetany·Increasesironutilizationinplants·Influencesearlinessanduniformityofmaturity
Copyright©2016BigBendAgri-Services,Inc.,AllRightsReserved
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MICRONUTRIENTSThemicronutrientsareBoron,Chlorine,Copper,Iron,Manganese,Molybdenum,andZinc..Theseplantfoodelementsareusedinverysmallamounts,buttheyarejustasimportanttoplantdevelopmentandprofitablecropproductionasthemajornutrients.Theyprimarilyactasactivatorsofmanyplantfunctions.
Ø BORON
·Essentialingerminationofpollengrainsandgrowthofpollentubes·Essentialforseedandcellwallformation·Promotesmaturity·Necessaryforsugartranslocation·Affectsnitrogenandcarbohydrate
Ø CHLORINE
·Notmuchinformationaboutitsfunctions·InterfereswithPuptake·Enhancesmaturityofsmallgrainsonsomesoils
Ø COPPER
·Catalyzesseveralplantprocesses·Majorfunctioninphotosynthesis·Majorfunctioninreproductivestages·Indirectroleinchlorophyllproduction·Increasessugarcontent·Intensifiescolor·Improvesflavoroffruitsandvegetables
Ø IRON
·Promotesformationofchlorophyll·Actsasanoxygencarrier·Reactionsinvolvingcelldivisionandgrowth
Ø MAGANESE
·Functionsasapartofcertainenzymesystems·Aidsinchlorophyllsynthesis·IncreasestheavailabilityofPandCA
Ø MOLYBDENUM
·Requiredtoformtheenzyme"nitratereductase"whichreducesnitratestoammoniuminplant·Aidsintheformationoflegumenodules·Neededtoconvertinorganicphosphatestoorganicformsintheplant
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MICRONUTRIENTS(cont.)
Ø ZINC·Aidsplantgrowthhormonesandenzymesystem·Necessaryforchlorophyllproduction·Necessaryforcarbohydrateformation·Necessaryforstarchformation·Aidsinseedformation
Thereareotherimportantfactorsinplantgrowthanddevelopment.Forexample:thesoiltypeorquality.TheSoilmaybeacombinationofsand,silt,clayandorganicmatter.Thesoiltextureaffectshowwellnutrientsandwaterareretainedinthesoil.Forexample,clayandorganicsoilsholdnutrientsandwaterbetterthansandysoils.Inoursandycoastalplainssoilswemayneedtoprovidenutrientsinlargeramountsthanfarmersworkingfieldsthathavesoilsthatcontainahigherpercentageofclayand/ororganicmatter.SoilPHisanimportantissueinplantgrowthasmacronutrientstendtobelessavailableinsoilswithlowpHandmicronutrientstendtobelessavailableinsoilswithhighpH.LimecanbeaddedtothesoiltomakeitlessacidandalsoraisesthepHtothedesiredrangeof6.0to6.5.Inthisrange,nutrientsaremoreavailabletoplantsandmicrobialpopulationsinthesoilincrease.Microbes’covertnitrogenandsulfurtoformsthatplantscanuse.Limealsoenhancesthephysicalpropertiesofthesoilthatpromotewaterandairmovement.Everyplantrequiresthenutrientmentionedaboveindifferentamounts.Whetheryouareproducingafoodorfibercroporanornamentalcropormaintainingturf.Youmustdetermineyourplantsneedsandthensupplythoserequirednutrientswithqualityfertilizermaterialsthatyourcropcanutilizeintherightproportions.WeatBigBendAgri-Serviceswouldliketohelpyoumeettherequirementsforyourplants,whichwillenableyoutomaximizebothyieldandquality.Wealsounderstandthatinorderforourdealerstoprospertheirgrowersmustproduceprofitableyieldsandquality.Weareheretohelpthemproducethehighesteconomicalyieldsthatwillallowourgrowerstocontinuetobethemostproductiveintheworld.Futurearticlessubmittedtothisblogwillbemorecroporplantspecific.Iwelcomeanysuggestionsforsubjectmatterorissuesyouwouldliketoseecoveredinthisblog.Ihopethisinformationishelpfulinyourwork.Pleasecontactmeat:[email protected],ifIcanassistyouoryourgrowers.
Sincerely,DonClark,Agronomist-BigBendAgri-Services,Inc.
