Chapter 6

Plant Nutrition
Lesson 1: Photosynthesis

Frederick Atienza Andal

6.1 Objectives 1. Describe photosynthesis;

2. State the word and chemical equation for photosynthesis;

At the end of the lesson, students
3. Describe the chlorophyll and state how it synthesize
should be able to:
carbohydrates;

4. Outline the subsequent use of and storage of the

carbohydrates made in photosynthesis;

5. Explain the importance of nitrate ions and magnesium

ions in the plant;

6. Describe the effects of the limiting factors limited to

light intensity, temperature and carbon dioxide; and
O1. What is photosynthesis ?

The process by which plants

manufacture carbohydrates from
raw materials using energy from
light
O2. What are the raw materials for photosynthesis?

The raw materials are The products are

CO2 and H2O glucose (starch) and
O2
O3. How does photosynthesis occur?

1. Green plants take in CO2

4. Glucose is usually changed to
through their leaves (by
sucrose for transport around the
diffusion).
plant, or to starch for storage.

2. H2O is absorbed through 5. O2 is released as a

plants’ roots (by osmosis), and waste product, or used

3. Chlorophyll traps
transported to the leaf through by plant for respiration.
• light energy and convert to chemical energy
xylem vessels.
1. All the reactions involved in
producing food take place in the
leaves.
3. Carbon dioxide
is absorbed from
2. water is absorbed from the the air through the
stomata, pores in
soil by the roots and carried in the leaf 4. In the leaf cells,
the water vessels of the veins, up the carbon dioxide and water
are combined to make sugar
the stem to the leaf

5. The energy for this

reaction comes from
sunlight that has been
absorbed by the green
pigment chlorophyll
A closer look at chlorophyll

• Chlorophyll is the substance that gives leaves

and stems their green colour.

• It is able to absorb energy from light and use

it to split water molecules into hydrogen and
oxygen
Gaseous exchange

• In dim light, the rate of photosynthesis

becomes equal to the rate of respiration, it is
known as the compensation point

• In strong light, the rate of photosynthesis is higher

than the rate of respiration, therefore, oxygen is
produced.
O4. The plant’s use of photosynthetic products

RESPIRATION
• sugar can be used to provide energy which is used to drive
other chemical reactions

SYNTHESIS OF OTHER SUBSTANCES

• Cellulose – for cell wall
• Lipids – for cell membrane
• Proteins – for cytoplasm
• Pigments – for flower petals

STORAGE
• Starch
• starch grains (stem and roots, i.e. potato,
parsnip (tubers)
• Sugar in fruits (grapes)
O4. The plant’s use of photosynthetic products

SYNTHESIS OF OTHER SUBSTANCES

• Glucose molecules joined together formed cellulose

use to build cell wall
• Nitrogen combined with sugar molecules formed
amino acids. Amino acids joined together to make
proteins to form enzymes and cytoplasm of the
cell
• Nitrates – a form that is absorbed by the plants in
the soil
• Sulfates – form that that is absorbed by the plants
• Phosphates – a form that is absorbed by the plants
• Magnesium – metallic element needed by the
chlorophyll
O5. Mineral Requirement
O5. Mineral Requirement

Water Cultures (Hydroponics)

• Demonstrate the importance of mineral elements

in growing plants
• It is a solution containing the salts that provide all
the necessary elements for healthy growth
• Potassium nitrate for potassium and nitrogen
• Magnesium sulfate for magnesium and sulfur
• Potassium phosphate for potassium and
phosphorus
• Calcium nitrate for calcium and nitrogen
O5. Mineral Requirement

Water Cultures (Hydroponics)

• This method has the advantage that the yield is

increased and the need to sterilize the soil each
year, to destroy pests, is eliminated.

• This kind of technique is sometimes described as

hydroponics or soil-less culture.
Why need of photosynthesis?

• It is the main source of oxygen which is used for aerobic respiration of

all living organisms

• It is the main source of food for all living organisms

• It is necessary for regulating the concentration of carbon dioxide and

oxygen

• It is the process which traps energy of the sun which later can be found in
the fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum.
O6. Limiting Factors

• Is something present in the environment in such short

supply that it restricts life processes.

• Three factors can limit the speed of photosynthesis:

• light intensity,

• carbon dioxide concentration

• temperature.

• If a component is in low supply then productivity is

prevented from reaching maximum.
O6. Limiting Factors

Sunlight

• Light energy is vital to the process of photosynthesis. It

is severely limiting at times of partial light conditions,
e.g. dawn or dusk.

• As light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis

will increase, until the plant is photosynthesizing as fast
as it can.

• At this point, even if light becomes brighter, the plant

cannot photosynthesize any faster.
O6. Limiting Factors

• Over the first part of the curve (between A and B),

light is a limiting factor.
• The plant is limited in how fast it can
photosynthesize because it does not have enough
light

• Between B and C, light is not a limiting factor.

• Even if more light is shone on the plant, it still cannot
photosynthesize any faster.
O6. Limiting Factors

Reasons:
• The limit on the rate of increase could be because all
available chloroplasts are fully occupied in light
absorptions;
• Not enough carbon dioxide in the air to cope with
the increased supply of hydrogen atoms produced by
the light reaction;
• low temperature is restricting the rate of the ‘dark’
reaction
O6. Limiting Factors

Carbon dioxide

• In photosynthesis CO2 is a key limiting factor.

The usual atmospheric level of CO2 is 0.03%.
• The more CO2 a plant is given, the faster it can
photosynthesize up to a point, but then a
maximum is reach.
O6. Limiting Factors

• Increasing CO2 concentration (between A to B)

increases the rate of photosynthesis: CO2 is the
limiting factor

• Between B to C, increasing CO2 has no effect on

the rate of photosynthesis: light, temperature and
number of chloroplast are now the limiting factor
O6. Limiting Factors
O6. Limiting Factors

Temperature
O6. Limiting Factors

Temperature and light intensity

• A temperature rise may cause

photosynthesis to speed up, but only
to the points where the light intensity
limits further increase.
O6. Limiting Factors
O6. Limiting Factors
O6. Limiting Factors

The five factors of greenhouse environmental

control
• constantly monitor the CO2 level and get alerts when it
goes below or above the required levels
• to maintain, monitor and control proper soil moisture for
better plant growth, quality and overall yield
• maintain the required temperature for every type of plant
• Humidity makes the greenhouse environment naturally
warmer and moist with time
• Sunlight keep the light levels optimum and filter out
ultraviolet radiation at the same time
Thank you.
Sample questions
Sample questions
Sample questions
Sample questions