AGR 4303 PLANT NUTRITION

(TOPIC 2: MACRONUTRIENT)
Dr. Khairil Mahmud
Department of Crop Science
Faculty of Agriculture,
Universiti Putra Malaysia
khairilmahmud@upm.edu.my
Macronutrient??

What?
Why?
Where?
When?
Which?
How?
Macronutrient?
 Macronutrients play a very important role in plant
growth and development.
 Their functions range from being structural units to
redox-sensitive agents.
 Generally, application of macronutrient increases
yield, growth, and quality of crops.
 In the recent years, however, plant physiologists,
biotechnologists, and eco-physiologists have been
working to investigate various other blind features
of these minerals and their future prospective,
because nutrients are involved in every step of
plant life.
 Every macronutrient has its own character, and is
therefore involved in different metabolic processes
of plant life.
 there are six basic macronutrients required by
virtually all plants: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P),
potassium (K), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), and
magnesium (Mg)

 These are the main elements, apart from carbon (C),

hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O), which are not
considered plant nutrients
Macronutrient

N
S Ca

Macronutrients

P K

Mg
For each macronutrient, there is a set of properties
that must be considered:-

 The functions of the element in the plant

 The original sources of the element in the
natural world (other than decaying matter from
other organisms) and the nutrient’s abundance or
availability
 The forms of the nutrient available to the plant
 The likelihood of deficiency in a plant
 The specific effects of deficiency
Nitrogen (N)
 NITROGEN (N)

 Nitrogen is the most frequently

limiting nutrient. Within the plant,
nitrogen serves in the same ways it
does in other organisms—as a
component of amino acids and nucleic
acids.
 Nitrogen also plays a critical role in
the structure of chlorophyll.
NITROGEN (N)
 The largest natural source of nitrogen is the Earth’s
atmosphere, which is roughly 78% gaseous nitrogen,
an inert and essentially biologically unavailable
form of the element
 N functions
 Nitrogen is necessary for the formation of amino acids,
proteins, DNA and RNA.
 It is also a major component of amino acids, the
building blocks of proteins. Without
proteins, plants wither and die.
 Nitrogen is part of the chlorophyll molecule, which
gives plants their green color and is involved in
creating food for the plant through photosynthesis.
NITROGEN (N)
 the primary means of nitrogen fixation are through
the high temperature and energy of lightning strikes
and biological nitrogen fixation by bacteria.
 These processes produce nitrogen in three main
forms, each of which are available to plants:
 nitrate,

 nitrite,

 and ammonium.
 N in THREE main forms
 Nitrate
 Nitrate is a polyatomic ion
with the chemical formula
NO−3.
 Salts containing this anion
are called nitrates.
Nitrates are common
components of fertilizers
and explosives.
 Almost all nitrates are
soluble in water
NH4NO3
N in THREE main forms
 Nitrite
 Nitrite is an intermediate product of the oxidation of
ammonia to nitrate.
 Normally, very little nitrite is present in aquaculture
systems. However, nitrite will occasionally accumulate in
culture systems due to an imbalance in the nitrification
process.
 The existence of nitrite ions in water samples and
human food product sources can cause various human
diseases. For example, nitrites can produce N-
nitrosamines in the presence of secondary amines which
are likely to cause stomach cancer.
N in THREE main forms
 Ammonia
 Ammonia, also known as NH3, is a colourless gas with
a distinct odour composed of nitrogen and hydrogen
atoms.
 It is produced naturally in the human body and in
nature—in water, soil and air, even in tiny bacteria
molecules. In human health, ammonia and the
ammonium ion are vital components of metabolic
processes.
 N deficiencies
 Chlorosis
 The effects are first seen in the more mature leaves and
tissues
 The plant will preferentially export nitrogen to actively
growing tissues, leaving the more mature parts of the
plant to show signs of deficiency first.
 not only the leaves of the plant, but all living cells that
have high nitrogen demands for amino and nucleic
acids, reducing overall productivity and plant vigour.
N deficiency
 Phosphorus (P)
 Phosphorus is a chemical element with the
symbol P and atomic number 15.

 Two major forms, white phosphorus and

red phosphorus, but because it is highly
reactive, phosphorus is never found as a
free element on Earth

 Frequently a limiting nutrient, particularly

in tropical regions.

 The ultimate source of virtually all

terrestrial phosphorus is from the
weathering of minerals and soils in the
Earth’s crust
 Phosphorus (P)
 Phosphorus is generally available as phosphate, an
anion that is not bind able by the cation exchange
complex and thus can be easily leached from the soil by
rain or runoff.

 Phosphorus plays the same chemical and biochemical

role in plants as it does in all other organisms. It is the
main element involved in energy transfer for cellular
metabolism and it is a structural component of cell
membranes, nucleic acids, and other critical materials
Phosphorus forms
 Dissolved inorganic P into PO43-
 Organic forms  phospate in DNA, RNA, ATP and
phospolipid
 Minerals  apitate [Ca(PO4)3OH)]
 Distribution
 Sediments
 Land 200 Pg P
 Deep Ocean 87 Pg P
 Terrestrial Biota 3Pg P
 Atmosphere 0.000028 Pg P
 P functions
 Stimulates root development necessary for the plant to
get nutrients from the soil.

 Boosts the development of the plant. Phosphorus is

required for photosynthesis and also in the storage and
transportation of the nutrients throughout the plant.

 Plants are expected to produce fruit after a given time if

all the circumstances are right. Phosphorous is responsible
for crop maturity at the right time.
P functions
 Legumes help in fixing nitrogen in the soil through their roots.
This function cannot be carried out well without phosphorous
which boost the development of the roots.

 The substances required for the formation and development

of genes cannot perform well without the availability of
phosphorous. The transfer of the genes from one generation
to the next is only possible when phosphorous is available.

 Plants that have access to enough phosphorous have the

ability to resist diseases because all their parts are well
developed and grow quickly. Plants grown using
hydroponics are supplied with enough phosphorous to ensure
they grow well.
 P Deficiency
 phenomena that appear as
wound-responses in leaves, such
as production of pigmented
compounds resulting in darkening
or purpling of the leaves.

 Stunting can also occur, as well

as necrotic lesions and other
symptoms.
 P Treatment
 Treatment. Correction and prevention of phosphorus
deficiency typically involves increasing the levels of
available phosphorus into the soil.
 Planters introduce more phosphorus into the soil with
bone meal, rock phosphate, manure, and
phosphate-fertilizers.
 Potassium (K)

 Potassium is a chemical element with symbol K

and atomic number 19. Classified as an alkali
metal, Potassium is a solid at room temperature.
 Potassium (K)
 Potassium is the primary osmolyte and ion involved
in plant cell membrane dynamics, including the
regulation of stomata and the maintenance of
turgor and osmotic equilibrium.
 It also plays important roles in the activation and
regulation of enzyme activity.
K function in plants
 Increases root growth and improves drought
resistance.
 Maintains turgor; reduces water loss and wilting.
 Aids in photosynthesis and food formation.
 Reduces respiration, preventing energy losses.
 Enhances translocation of sugars and starch.
 Produces grain rich in starch.
 Increases plants’ protein content.
 Builds cellulose and reduces lodging.
 Helps retard crop diseases.
 Potassium (K)
 Potassium is a soil
exchangeable cation
and is actively absorbed
by plant roots.
 It is a major component of
many soils and is
ultimately derived from
the weathering of soil
parent materials such as
potassium-aluminum-
silicates in the soil.
Potassium (K)
 weakly held to the soil particles and is highly
leachable
 Due to plants and other organisms holding potassium
as free ions in their cells, once an organism dies, its
potassium quickly re-enters the soil solution.
 If other organisms do not quickly take up potassium, it
is easily lost from the soil due to leaching and runoff.
 A loss of potassium is a common result of forest fires,
clear-cut harvest methods, and other major
disturbances that cause runoff and erosion
K Deficiency
 Potassium-deficient plants generally form necrotic
lesions or more generalized leaf necrosis after a
relatively short period of chlorosis. In severely
limiting conditions, there can be general bud death.

 As with nitrogen deficiency, symptoms of potassium

deficiency first tend to appear in more mature
leaves, as the plant will move potassium to actively
growing, younger tissues.
K deficiency
 Most plants require potassium in fairly high
concentration, and as a result, potassium is a
common major constituent of commercial fertilizers,
particularly in agricultural systems where the
removal of plant parts (e.g., fruits) from the site
strip potassium from the local cycling system.
Sodium, another monovalent cation, can sometimes
substitute for potassium in certain plants.
K deficiency
 Sulfur (S)

Sulfur (S), also spelled sulphur, nonmetallic chemical element

belonging to the oxygen group (Group 16 [VIa] of the periodic
table), one of the most reactive of the elements. Pure sulfur is a
tasteless, odourless, brittle solid that is pale yellow in colour, a
poor conductor of electricity, and insoluble in water
Sulphur (S)
 Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic
octatomic molecules with a chemical formula S8.
Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow, crystalline solid
at room temperature

 Sulfur is another biologically ubiquitous element,

playing critical structural roles in several amino
acids and in compounds involved in electron
transfers in photosynthesis and respiration.
Sulphur (S)
 Sulfur is also a structural component of specialized
enzymes and related molecules.

 Sulfur is found in the soil primarily as sulfate and is

derived from the weathering of parent soil materials or
from by products of the human combustion of fossil
fuels, which produce the sulfur containing gases
hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide.

 These gases are converted to the sulfuric acid of acid

rain.
S in the soil and plant
S deficiency
 Plants lacking sufficient sulfur often show symptoms
such as chlorosis and spindly or stunted growth.

 Unlike plants deficient in nitrogen or potassium,

sulfur-deficient plants generally first show signs of
deficiency in the younger, developing tissues
because sulfur is not easily translocated within the
plant.
Sulphur treatment
 There are many products on the market to correct sulfur deficiencies.
These range from elemental sulfur to any other product ending in
“sulfate” or “sulfide,” including potassium sulfate, potassium
magnesium sulfate, ammonium thiosulfate, ammonium polysulfide,
ammonium sulfate, potassium thiosulfate, magnesium sulfate (aka
Epsom salts), and zinc sulfate

 Before applying any other type of sulfur amendment, however,

make sure to perform a soil analysis so you don’t potentially add
any unneeded nutrients to your soil.

 For example, if it is discovered the soil is also deficient in calcium,

gypsum (calcium sulfate) can be applied to the area to address both
the sulfur and calcium deficiencies.
Calcium (Ca)

Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20.
As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark
oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air.
Calcium (Ca)
 Its physical and chemical properties are most similar
to its heavier homologues strontium and barium.
 It is the fifth most abundant element in Earth's crust
and the third most abundant metal, after iron and
aluminium.
 plays important roles in cell wall structure, cell
membrane relations, and signal transduction in the
plant.
 calcium’s role in cell membrane integrity extends to
the intracellular membranes as well.
 Calcium (Ca)
 Calcium is derived
predominantly from
geologic sources—from the
weathering of soil
materials—and is a major
ion in the cation exchange
complex of the soil. It is
fairly uncommon for soils to
be deficient in calcium, and
most plants seem to grow
under conditions with a
surfeit of calcium
Calcium function
 Necessary for a proper functioning of growing point
 Forms compounds which strengthen cell walls
 Aids in cell elongation and division
 Neutralize organic acid
 Regulates the protein synthesis and slow the ageing
process.
Ca deficiency
 Buds, young leaves, and root tips either fail to grow
or die, most likely due to cell wall related defects.
 Calcium is generally made unavailable to plants at
low pH (higher acidity), so acidic soils often
contribute additional symptoms to the calcium
deficiency; many metals become mobile at low pH
and are toxic (e.g., aluminum).
Ca treatment
 Calcium deficiency can sometimes be rectified by
adding agricultural lime to acid soils, aiming at a
pH of 6.5, unless the subject plants specifically
prefer acidic soil. Organic matter should be added
to the soil to improve its moisture-retaining capacity.

 Soil pH should be tested, and corrected if needed,

because calcium deficiency is often associated with
low pH
Magnesium (Mg)

 Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12.
 It is a shiny grey solid which bears a close physical resemblance to the other five
elements in the second column (group 2, or alkaline earth metals) of the periodic
table: all group 2 elements have the same electron configuration in the outer electron
shell and a similar crystal structure.
 The ninth most abundant metal in earth crust
Magnesium (Mg)
 Magnesium is another divalent cation but, unlike
calcium, its roles are more intimately related to
intracellular functions than the predominantly
extracellular roles of calcium.
 Most import mineral in the activation of enzymes.
 Mg is the central structural element of chlorophyll,
and it is involved in the synthesis of nucleic acids
Mg
 The primary source of magnesium is the weathering
of parent materials in soils and, like calcium, it is
generally found as a common part of the cation
exchange complex or in the soil solution.
 The solubility of magnesium decreases with
increasing acidity and at high.
 In the case of low pH, magnesium deficiency will
likely occur in conjunction with metal toxicity, due to
the increased solubility of metals at low pH pH
(alkaline) as well
Mg function
Mg Deficiency
 Since magnesium is a necessary component of
chlorophyll, plants that have insufficient magnesium
often exhibit chlorosis.
Mg treatment
 Compost conserves moisture and helps keep
nutrients form leaching out during heavy rainfall.
 Organic compost is also rich in magnesium and will
provide an abundant source for plants.
 Chemical leaf sprays are also used as a temporary
solution to provide magnesium
 SUMMARY
 N, P, K, S, Ca, and Mg are the mineral nutrients
required by most plants in the highest concentration,
and thus they are defined as the macronutrients.

 Their distribution, function, original source, abundance in

the soil, and physiological effects all differ, but their
requirement for plant growth is long established.

 Because the requirement for these nutrients is

quantitatively large, deficiency can be more common
than for elements that are needed in only minute
quantities.
 Agriculture was the first
occupation of man, and as it
embraces the whole earth, it is
the foundation of all other
industries

E. W. STEWART, attributed, Day's Collacon