By Daniele Schafer
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You may think that plants only need sunlight and water to germinate a seed, grow a leaf, flower and produce a fruit in some cases, but plants need much more for their survival than that. In order for plants to have a normal and health life cycle, they also need minerals. Bellow is a compiled table of some of the most important micro- and macro- elements. The table is display in reference of their nutrient deficiency, following by the significance for the plant cell, then the cause of deficiency, and finally the visible phenotype expression observed on plants. |
Specific Vocabulary:
Microelement: they are required in relatively small quantities
MINERAL KIND
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MINERAL DEFICENT
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USE BY PLANT
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CAUSE OF DEFICIENCY
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VISIBLE MARKS OF DEFICIENCY
|
Macro |
-P (Phosphorus) |
DNA, RNA, ATP |
When soil has ph 6.8 and higher, which difficult the absortion by the roots |
|
Macro |
-K (Potassium) |
Ionic balance in cells |
Sandy soils |
|
Macro |
-S (Sulfur) |
Protein and vitamins |
Deficiency of microorganism capable of oxidizing sulfides or decomposing organic sulfur compounds |
|
Macro |
-Ca (Calcium) |
Cell wall |
Seldom deficient under natural conditions |
|
Macro |
-K (Potassium) |
Ionic balance in cells |
Sandy soils |
|
Macro |
-S (Sulfur) |
Protein and vitamins |
Deficiency of microorganism capable of oxidizing sulfides or decomposing organic sulfur compounds |
|
Macro |
-Ca (Calcium) |
Cell wall |
Seldom deficient under natural conditions |
|
Micro |
-Mg (Magnesium) |
Chlorophyll molecules |
When soil is strongly acid, sandy soils |
|
Micro |
-Fe (Iron) |
Photosynthesis and respiration |
Propensity of Fe3+ to form insoluble hydrous oxides. In neutral or alkaline calcareous soil
|
|
Micro |
-Cu (Copper) |
Photosynthesis |
When soil is not aerated, which little oxygen used to reduce Cu2+to Cu |
|
Micro |
-B (Boron) |
Exact role unclear |
When soil has ph>8 |
|
Micro |
-Mn (Manganese) |
Respiration and nitrogen metabolism |
If soil ph < 6 and have high organic content |
|
Micro |
-Cl (Chlorine) |
Ionic balance in cells |
Hardly deficient (only seeing in controlled solution) |
|
Micro |
-Ni (Nickel) |
Uncertain |
Not completed understood, some how related to seed content |
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Micro |
-Mo (Molybdenum) |
Nitrogen metabolism |
If soil is acid with high content of iron precipitates, which absorbs the element |
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Micro |
-Zn ( Zinc) |
Respiration and nitrogen metabolism |
Disturbances in metabolism of the hormone Auxin |
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