Download The Role of Nutrients in Plants Element Function Deficiency

The Role of Nutrients in Plants
Element
Function
Deficiency Symptoms
Primary building block for
amino acids, proteins and plant
protoplasm, Critical for flower
differentiation, Rapid shoot
growth, Bud vigor and ATP
synthesis, Acts as a catalyst for
other nutrients.
Lack of growth or stunted
growth, General yellowing of
foliage, Older leaves first, loss
of leaves under severe
deficiency. Purplish colouration
due to accumulation of
anthocyanin pigments.
Promotes maturity, Fruit set,
disease resistance, and quality,
Promotes root, flower and seed
development, Formation of
nucleic acids and energy
Phosphorus(P) transfer, Protein synthesis, Cell
membrane component
(phospholipids).
Reduction of growth,
Production of dark green
foliage, Thickness of leaves and
density of fruit reduced,
Reduced tillering in cereals,
Reduced flowering and seed set,
Reddening or yellowing of leaf
margins and necrosis of older
leaves, Reduced fruit quality
and storage potential
Nitrogen(N)
Potassium (K)
Magnesium
(Mg)
Enzyme activator and coenzyme
functions, Protein synthesis,
cuticle layer formations,
Stomatal function and turger
potential, disease resistance.
Essential for chlorophyll
formation, Seed formation,
Helps regulate the uptake of
other plant foods, Acts as a
carrier of phosphorus in the
plant, Promotes formation of oils
and fats.
Mottled chlorosis, Necrosis of
leaf tissue, (especially at tips
and margins between veins),
older leaves most affected, In
cereals, weak stalks, roots more
susceptible to disease,
accumulation of high reducing
sugars.
General loss of green colour
starting at the bottom older
leaves and later moves up the
plant, Veins of leaf remain
green with loss of colour
between the veins, Leaves curl
upward along the margins,
Plants have weak stalks with
long branch roots.
Cell wall formation for strong
cells, Pectin formation,
Translocation of sugars, Root
hair formation (feeder roots),
Neutralizes poisons produced in
the plant, Encourages fruit and
seed production, Improves
general plant vigor and quality
of plant tissue.
Dark green vein in mid-rib of
leaf, with yellowish green areas
between, Leaves have wrinkled
appearance and may defoliate,
Dying back of border of plants,
Poorly developed root hair,
Blossom end rot of tomatoes
and poor storage quality of most
fruits and vegetables, young
leaves and terminal bud become
hooked in appearance and die
back at the tips and along the
margins.
Sulfur (S)
Necessary for protein formation,
Helps maintain dark green
colour, Promotes nodule
formation on legumes,
Stimulates seed production,
Encourages more vigorous plant
growth.
Deficiency occurs in new
growth only, Stems turn yellow
while leaves turn a very bright
yellow, with even lighter veins,
Distinguishable from nitrogen
deficiency since nitrogen affects
old growth first, Nitrogen
deficiency creates a deep
yellow, starting down the leaf
mid-rib toward the plant, Sulfur
deficiency creates a low, stunted
growth similar to nitrogen, with
short, slender stalks.
Manganese
(Mn)
Aids oxidation and respiration
processes of the plant,
Accelerates seed germination
and plant maturity with resultant
crop yield and quality, Increases
the availability of calcium,
magnesium, and phosphorus,
Aids in the synthesis of
chlorophyll, functions in
photosynthesis.
Occurs on new growth first,
Fading between veins changing
to medium yellow with dark
mid-rib, Does not affect size of
leaf or texture, only colour.
Aids in nodule and seed
formation in legumes, Aids in
calcium uptake and sugar
transfer, Aids in potassium
uptake, especially of crops that
use high levels of Potassium,
Aids in the phosphorylation
process, Aids in terminal bud
formations.
More generally deficient in high
pH soils, dry rot of sugar beets,
Yellow top of alfalfa, Lack of
seed formation on one side of
ear of corn, Poor pollination,
Misshapen leaves or fruit, Poor
root growth.
Calcium (Ca)
Boron (B)
Zinc (Zn)
Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe)
Controls use of other elements in
plants, Needed for growth
hormone production (IAA), Seed
and grain production (cell
differentiation), Influences
protein synthesis rate of
maturing of seed and stalks,
height or length of plants.
More deficient with a high pH,
White area between the veins
(chlorosis), Small sharp pointed
leaves, Undersized leaf is a
definite characteristic of zinc
deficiency, In corn white buds
form, Fruit does not size.
Essential for intercellular
metabolism and it acts as an
oxidizer in the plant processes, A
catalyst for many processes in
the plant, Required in sugar
translocations.
Die back in extreme cases,
Little or no fruit, S shaped tips
with coarse leaves, Deficiency
shows up on new growth first,
Generally associated with high
organic soils (Peat muck)
especially those high in pH.
Needed for chlorophyll
synthesis, plant metabolism,
oxidation, and functions as a
catalyst in chlorophyll
formation.
Tall slender plant with few
leaves, Pale green, then yellow,
then white between the veins,
(Generally new leaves with
light green band along the leaf
margins), Die back in the case
of advanced deficiency, Short
much-branched root system.