NUTRIENTS

OR
ELEMENTS
 Nutrients or Elements
If a soil is to produce crops successfully,
it must have among other things, an
adequate supply of all the necessary
nutrients that plants take from the soil.
Not only must nutrients be present in
available forms, but they must also be
present in suitable proportion.
Elements required by plants for their life
processes are called “essential elements”.
There are (16) elements considered
essential for plant growth and
development.
1. Nitrogen (N)
Functions:
a. involved in growth and
reproduction
b. needed for vegetative growth
Deficiency symptoms: Nitrogen (N)
a. Generally yellowing of leaves
occur and yellowing starts on the
lower or older leaves (along the
midribs)
b. Low top/root ratio indicating its
functions for vegetative dry
matter production.
2. Phosphorous (P)
Functions:
a. A carrier of energy (ATP),
essential in photosynthesis and
respiration.
b. A constituent of DNA and RNA
in nucleus; hence important in
inheritance.
c. Also a co-factor in fat synthesis.
d. Needed in reproductive growth
Deficiency symptoms in (P)
a. Severe reduction in photosynthesis
capacity and plants show stunted
growth.
b. Dark green color of leaves
c. Symptoms start or appear first on
color of leaves which mean P is mobile
in plants.
d. Purple coloration of stem or stalk in
case of corn
e. Low top/root ratio.
3. Potassium (K)
Functions:
a. Important in carbohydrate
metabolism, protein synthesis
and photolysis of water.
b. Sensitizer of light absorption
c. Needed for seed development
and quality.
Deficiency symptoms of (K)
a. Stunted – dark green
b. Yellowing of leaves start along the
main of older leaves.
4. Calcium (Ca)
Functions:
a. Require in cell division and elongation
with great role in cell membrane
stability.
b. Important in the formation of middle
lamella of cells.
Deficiency of (Ca)
a. Failure of terminal buds or root tips to
develop because of its role in elongation
and cell division.
b. Failure of some new leaves to open.
c. Blossom-end root.
5.Magnesium (Mg)
Functions:
a. Mg is the only mineral which is a
constituent of the chlorophyll molecule.
Deficiency in (Mg)
a. Interveinal chlorosis (cereals)
b. Purplish discoloration (cotton)
b. Important in nodule formation in
leguminous plants.
c. Important constituent of thiamine
and coenzyme A.
Deficiency symptoms:
a. Reduced nodulation in legumes
7. Boron (B)
Functions:
a. Involved in the synthesis of
ATP
b. Involved in translocation of
sugar across cell membrane
c. Important in cell division
Deficiency symptoms:
a. Cessation of growth followed by
death of terminal bud because it is
an immobile element in plants.
b. Chlorosis at the base of leaves
c. Uneven thickness of peel in citrus
d. Inhibition of the growth of pollen
tube
8. Iron (Fe)
Functions:
a. Associated with the synthesis of
chloroplastic protein (protein in chlorophyll)
b. Enzyme activator
c. Component in Cytochrome
Deficiency symptoms:
a. Interveinal chlorosis of young
leaves which may progress to
whole leaves. Symptoms are
seen first in younger leaves.
9. Manganese (Mn)
Functions:
a. Involved in enzyme activation
important in carbohydrate
metabolism
b. Synthesis of riboflavin and carotene
c. Synthesis of chlorophyll
d. Photolysis of water
Deficiency symptoms:
a. Interveinal chlorosis.
10. Copper (Cu)
Functions:
a. Necessary in the formation of
chlorophyll
b. Activator of several enzyme
Deficiency symptoms:
a. Yellowish leaves followed by die-
back
b. Leaf curl appears in some
vegetables
11. Zinc (Zn)
Functions:
a. Involved in the synthesis of
trytophan, a precursor of
indoleacetic acid (IAA), so it is
involved in growth.
b. Activator of several enzymes.
Deficiency symptoms;
a.Rossetting of leaves and
symptomsappear first on younger
leaves.
12. Molybdenum (Mo)
Functions:
a. Required in N transformations such as
nitrate reduction within the plant
b. For symbiotic N fixation in legumes
Deficiency symptoms:
c. whiptail-tapering and interval
chlorosis in cauliflower.
d. Poor utilization of N and plant shows
N deficiency.
13. Chlorine (Cl)
Functions:
a. Enzyme activator
b. May be essential for a part of the
photosynthesis process in which O2
is liberated.
c. Important in photolysis of water
Deficiency symptoms:
a. Tends to wilt and show a build-up of
free amino acids.
In the absence of any laboratory
examination, how would you know that
the crops have nutritional deficiencies?

Actual/ocular inspection