Plant Nutrients AGGHPS6 Why are nutrients important for

Plant Nutrients AG-GH-PS-6

Why are nutrients important for plant growth?

What are three major macronutrients? • Nitrogen • Phosphorus • Potassium

What are three other major nutrients? • Calcium • Magnesium • Sulfur

What are the seven micronutrients? • Iron • Manganese • Zinc • Boron • Copper • Molybdenum • Chlorine

What is the importance of nitrogen? • Nitrogen is a vital component of most plant cell parts and is especially important in the creation of proteins during growth • Helps the plant to recover from damages due to wind, animals, and cultivation. • Helps to resist diseases and tolerates the effects of heat, cold, and drought.

What is the importance of nitrogen? • Excess nitrogen cause: • Dark green foliage • Weak tissues • Succulent vegetative growth • Delay in flowering and fruiting • Lower plant resistance to disease

What is the importance of nitrogen? • A deficiency in nitrogen cause: • Stunted growth • Pale green to yellow leaves that are smaller than normal

What are some sources of nitrogen? • Gradual decomposition of soil organic matter • Fertilizer

What is the nitrogen cycle?

What is the importance of phosphorus? • Storage and transport of energy in the plant • Makes up nucleic acids and other important molecules

What is the importance of phosphorus? • A deficiency of phosphorus can cause: • Altered metabolism and growth • Growth is stunted • Leaves are dark green and sometimes distorted • Leaves and stems can turn red or purple • Supply of phosphorus is limited to what is already in the soil and what has been added. It must be monitored carefully.

What is the importance of potassium? • Exact use is not known but it is theorized that potassium aids in regulation of stomatas and in general plant health • Deficiency symptoms include • Leaf chlorosis • Marginal scorch • Although soil supply of potassium is high, it is usually not in a form usable by plants. Available potassium can range from 1 -10%.

Advantages • Constituent of amino acids • Constituent of chlorophyll • Stimulates use of carbohydrates Nitrogen Disadvantages Deficiency Symptoms • Too much can • Activates burn the plant enzymes • Regulates opening and closing of stomata • Stunted growth • Stimulates root growth and development • Regulates uptake and use of other nutrients • Small, pale, yellow leaves

Advantages • Component of DNA & RNA • Affects cell division, root development, maturation, flowering and fruiting, and overall crop quality Phosphorus • Component of high-energy bonds in plant cells, necessary for release of energy for plant processes Disadvantages Deficiency Symptoms • Deficiency can • Purpling of the reduce growth stem, leaf, or veins in the • Cause dark to underside of reddish leaf the leaf colorations • Altered metabolism and growth • Dark green leaves

Advantages • Activates enzymes Disadvantages • Cause increased respiration & transpiration • Regulates opening and closing of stomata • Reduce environmental stress • Regulates water tolerance uptake by root Potassium cells • Increase disease and • Essential for reduce growth photosynthesis, starch formulation, and translocation of sugars Deficiency Symptoms • Burn or scorch of margins of leaves, particularly older leaves

What is the p. H scale? How does it work? • The p. H is used to measure the amount of alkalinity or acidity in the soil • The scale is based on the hydrogen ion concentration in the soil • The soil has many different chemical reactions that take place

What is the p. H scale? How does it work? • The degree of acidity or alkalinity of the soil controls the availability of nutrients to the plants that inhabit it • Plants have a certain p. H that they need in order to prosper to their full potential What are examples of acids and bases?

The p. H Range Most Suitable for Some Plants p. H 4. 5 – 5. 5 Strong Acid • Azaleas • Camellias p. H 5. 5 – 6. 0 Medium Acid • • Apples • Cabbage • Cantaloupes • Spinach • Kentucky bluegrass • Pyracanthea • Lespedeza • Lima beans • Peanuts • Peas • Pepper Hollies Watermelon • p. H 6. 5 – 7. 5 Slight Acid to Slight Alkaline Fescue, tall Irish potato • • Bermuda grass p. H 6. 0 – 6. 5 Moderate Acid to Slight Acid Kudzu Peaches Pecans Sweet potatoes Strawberries • Sweet corn • Tomatoes • Turnips

The relationship of plant growth to the p. H scale

Multiple choice, select the best answer. 1. Which of the following is not a major macronutrient? A. Phosphorus B. Magnesium C. Potassium D. Nitrogen 2. Lack of nitrogen, or nitrogen deficiency will cause: A. Purple or red leaves B. Pale green to yellow leaves that are smaller than normal C. Marginal scorch D. Extreme root growth 3. Which is not a direct source or nitrogen to the plant in the nitrogen cycle? A. Animal waste B. Soil nitrogen C. Atmospheric nitrogen D. Nitrogen in rain water 4. Which is not true of the p. H scale? A. The scale is based on hydrogen ion concentration B. p. H measures the acidity of soil C. Plants require certain p. Hs to reach maximum growth D. The scale is based on hydroxide ion concentration