Plant Nutrients Overview
Plants need 16 elements for Normal/Optimal growth
— From air and water :
•Carbon(C)
•Hydrogen(H)
•Oxygen(O)
🔷MacroNutrients
•Nitrogen (N)
•Phosphorus (P)
•Potassium(K)
🔹SecondaryNutrients
(Usually are either present in sufficient quantities or are added coincidentally with soil amendments)
•Calcium
•Magnesium
•Sulfur
🔷MicroNutrients
•Iron
•copper
•manganese
•zinc
•boron
•chlorine
•molybdenum
🔷Mobile Nutrients - are able to move from one part of the plant to another as needed. Molar nutrients show deficiency symptoms on older, lower leaves first.
🔷Immobile Nutrients - Either stay at the destinations or move very little once assimilated and transported. Deficiencies show symptoms first and younger leaves.
🔸 Barium (Ba), Cadmium(Cd), Chromium(Cr), Lithium(Li), Palladium(Pd), Vanadium(V) - may be necessary for plant growth and health
MACRO
🟢Nitrogen(N) - 🚗💨 Mobile
promotes growth of leaves and stems
Critical to chlorophyll production
Nitrogen Fixation - Process we are Bacteria turn atmospheric N into a form that can be used by plants
🟢Phosphorus (P)- 🚗 Less Mobile
aids in flower and fruit/seed production
Encourages early and rapid root growth
🟢Potassium (K) - 🚗🚗💨 Very Mobile
promotes strong stems, disease resistant and winter hardiness
Potassium regulates the opening and closing of stomata thus regulating the uptake of CO2 thus enhancing photosynthesis.
It triggers activation of important biochemical enzymes for the generation of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). ATP provides energy for other chemical and physiological processes such as excretion of waste materials in plants.
It plays a role in osmoregulation of water and other salts in plant tissues and cells.
Potassium also facilitates protein and starch synthesis in plants.
It activates enzymes responsible for specific functions.
potassium is supplied to agricultural land in a mineral form and it dissolves in the soil water and is available to the plant
SECONDARY
🟢Calcium(C) - Immobile 🚫
important for general plant vigor
used primarily to build cell walls
Needed in growing young root and shoot tips
Plays a role in protein formation and carbohydrate movement in plant
❗️)Most calcium sources will raise pH. Gypsum best option for not raising pH)
❗️ New growth at the leaf tips and margins begins to wither in die back; new leaves appear deformed
🟢Magnesium(Mg)- 🚗 - Less Mobile
Stored in the chlorophyll- important in the dark green color and for the ability of a plant to manufacture food from sunlight
aids in seed formation
Necessary for formation of sugars, proteins, oils, and fats
Central element in chlorophyll and aids in uptake of nutrients
Is a phosphorus Carrier
❗️deficiencies include mottled yellow between leaves while veins remain green
🟢Sulfur(S)- 🚗💨 Mobile
Needed to manufacture chlorophyll
component of plant proteins
Helps maintain dark green color while encouraging more vigorous plant growth
Helps form important enzymes and assists in making proteins
MICRO
🟢Boron (B) -🚫 Immobile
Helps in cell development and helps to maintain plant metabolism
Protein synthesis
Development of cell walls
Carb metabolism
Sugar translocation
Hormone regulation
Pollen grain germination and pollen tube growth
fruit set/seed development
🟢Chlorine (Cl)
involved in photosynthesis
Gas exchange
Protection against diseases in plants
Increasing chloride balances out the positive charge of the potassium during the opening of the stomata to prevent plant damage
🟢Copper (Cu)- 🚫 Immobile
Aids in forming chlorophyll
activate enzymes in your plants the help synthesize lignin
APART of the photosynthesis process
❗️leaf nodes will grow closer and closer together
🟢Iron (Fe) - 🚫 Immobile
assist in the manufacturing of chlorophyll
Vital functions like enzyme and chlorophyll production, nitrogen fixing, and development and metabolism are all depending on iron
❗️leaf chlorosis - yellowing of leaves while veins remain green; starts at tip of new leaves and work it’s way to older leaves
🟢Manganese (Mn) - 🚫 “less” mobile
Needed for chlorophyll production ❗️But not A part of chlorophyll
Involved in photosynthesis
❗️deficiencies involve green “hugging” around yellow veins
🟢Molybdenum (Mo)- 🚫 Immobile
helps plants use nitrogen
Enables the plant to use the nitrates from the soil - legumes Need more molybdenum to fix nitrogen than to utilize nitrates
❗️ Plants become stunted, with symptoms similar to those of nitrogen deficiency; edges of leaves may become scorch by the accumulation of unused nitrates - NITROGEN TOXICITY
🟢Zinc (Zn)- 🚫 Immobile
❗️whitening of leaves on edges
Development of enzymes and hormones
Needed by legumes to form seeds
HELP the plant produce chlorophyll