Plant Nutrient Requirements

Macronutrients Micronutrients
- plants consume these in large quantities - plants consume these in small quantities

Primary Macronutrients  Boron (B)- cell wall formation and stability,

 Nitrogen (N)- Nitrogen is essential for plant maintenance of structural and functional
development, since it plays a fundamental role integrity of biological membranes, movement of
in energy metabolism and protein synthesis sugar or energy into growing parts of plants, and
o Deficiency- results in a loss of vigor pollination and seed set.
and color. Growth becomes slow and o Deficiency- affects vegetative and
leaves fall off, starting at the bottom of reproductive growth of plants resulting
the plant. in inhibition of cell expansion, death of
o Toxicity- results in clawed, shiny and meristem and reduced fertility
abnormally dark green leaves, slow o Toxicity- initially display yellowing or
growth and weak stems browning of foliage. Leaf tips become
 Phosphorus (P)- involved in root growth; dry, with the symptoms eventually
involved in transporting and storing energy taking over entire leaves.
o Deficiency- results in a late, deficient  Zinc (Zn)- used in the formation of chlorophyll
flowering, browning and wrinkling of and some carbohydrates and is used in the
the leaves, and a lack of vigor in conversion of starches to sugars. Zinc also helps
general. plant tissue withstand cold temperatures
o Toxicity- Slow growth; small dark o Deficiency- result is discolored leaves
green leaves in upper part of plant; and stunted growth. Chlorosis is
older leaves yellow then turn brown common with a zinc deficiency,
and senesce. Stunted plants with thin resulting in yellowing between the
stems and short internodes. Flowers veins. Despite the deficiency, the veins
abort. will remain green.
 Potassium (K)- involved in the regulation of o Toxicity- inhibition of growth, and
water and the transport of the plant’s reserve chlorosis of young leaves
substances. It increases photosynthesis capacity,  Manganese (Mn)- important for plant growth
strengthens cell tissue, and activates the and development and sustains metabolic roles
absorption of nitrates within different plant cell compartments.
o Deficiency- reduces plant resilience to o Deficiency- leaves turn pale green
dry spells and frosts or to a fungus between the veins, with normal colored
attack. This, in turn, results in a lack of areas next to the veins. As the
balance among other nutrients, such as deficiency progresses, the area between
calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen. the veins becomes paler, enlarges and
When there is a potassium may brown and die.
insufficiency, dark spots appear on the o Toxicity- can trigger oxidative stress
leaves. and disrupt photosynthesis, which may
o Toxicity- Marginal chlorosis of older result in the generation of interveinal
leaves which turns to yellow brown chlorosis in young leaves, necrotic dark
scorch in between the veins; leaf may spots on mature leaves, and crinkled
curl downward while scorched margins leaf
curl upward; plants can be stunted with  Iron (Fe)- an essential micronutrient for plant
poor root systems, leading to collapse. development. It plays a key role as it is involved
in the synthesis of chlorophyll and in other
Secondary Macronutrients enzymatic and metabolic processes without
 Calcium (Ca)- attaches to the walls of plant which plants cannot carry out their lifecycle.
tissues, stabilizing the cell wall and favoring cell o Deficiency- The primary symptom of
wall formation. Calcium is also involved in cell iron deficiency is interveinal chlorosis,
growth and development. It improves plant the development of a yellow leaf with a
vigor, activating the formation of roots and their network of dark green veins. In severe
 Plant Nutrient Requirements
growth cases, the entire leaf turns yellow or
o Deficiency- causes yellow and brown white and the outer edges may scorch
spots on the leaves. It also slows plant and turn brown as the plant cells die.
growth in general. o Toxicity- leaf discoloration (bronzing)
o Toxicity- Brown or black scorching of and a stunted root system
new leaf tips and die-back of growing  Copper (Cu)- required for many enzymatic
points. Growing points of stems and activities in plants and for chlorophyll and seed
roots cease to develop. Poor root production
growth and roots short and thickened o Deficiency- can lead to increased
 Magnesium (Mg)- constitutes the core of the susceptibility to diseases like ergot,
chlorophyll molecule and is therefore essential which can cause significant yield loss
for photosynthesis. This makes it an in small grains.
indispensable element for plant development. o Toxicity- leaf chlorosis, altered
Magnesium promotes the absorption and photosynthesis, senescence of leaves,
transportation of phosphorus. stunted growth, root length reduction,
o Deficiency- result in weak stalks, loss and peroxidative damages of cell
of greenness in the oldest leaves, and membranes
the appearance of yellow and brown  Molybdenum (Mo)- primarily used in the
spots, even though the leaves’ veins production of “molybdoenzymes” that regulate
remain green. various plant functions. The most well-known
o Toxicity- inhibits the uptake of of these Mo-containing enzymes regulate
calcium, and the plant displays general nitrogen (N) nutrition.
symptoms of an excess of salts; stunted o Deficiency- The plant becomes stunted
growth, and dark-colored vegetation. and the leaves show symptoms of
 Sulfur (S)- participates in the formation of nitrogen deficiency, appearing pale
chlorophyll. It is necessary for performing green or yellowish green in color
photosynthesis; Sulfur is fundamental in the between the veins. The older leaves
metabolizing of nitrogen, since it improves may be more severely affected with
nitrogen efficiency scorched edges.
o Deficiency- A shortage of sulfur is rare, o Toxicity- Marginal leaf scorch and
but when it does occur, the plant abscission as found in typical salt
becomes lighter in color, taking on a damage. Yellowing or browning of
pale green appearance. A general leaves and depressed tillering.
chlorosis is seen, similar to what occurs  Chlorine (Cl)- Its functions in plant growth and
with a nitrogen deficiency. development include osmotic and stomatal
o Toxicity- stunted and dark in color regulation, evolution of oxygen in
photosynthesis, and disease resistance and
tolerance.
o Deficiency- the two most common
symptoms are chlorosis in the younger
leaves and an overall wilting. Necrosis
of some parts of the plant, leaf
bronzing, and reduction in root and leaf
growth may also occur.
o Toxicity- There is curling of leaf
margins, marginal leaf scorch and
necrosis, smaller leaves, reduced plant
growth, and excessive leaf abscission
 Plant Nutrient Requirements
Liebig's law states that the yield achievable is dictated
by the nutrient that is most limiting (limiting factor)