Explain the role of mineral elements in plant life with the reference to macronutrients and micronutrients?
Difficulty: Medium
Macronutrients:
The elements which are required by plants in larger quantities are called macronutrients. These are nine in number.
Micronutrients:
The minerals elements which are required in lower quantities are called micronutrients. These are eight in number.
Note:
If any one of these is not supplied, plants display abnormalities of growth and do not reproduce normally.
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Role of mineral elements in plant life |
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Mineral elements' role |
Role in plant life |
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Macronutrients
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Carbon |
Forms the backbone of many plant biomolecules |
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Hydrogen |
Necessary for building biomolecules |
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Oxygen |
Necessary for cellular respiration |
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Phosphorus |
Component of ATP, nucleic acids, and coenzymes, necessary for seed germination, photosynthesis, protein formation, etc. |
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Potassium |
Regulates the opening and closing of the stoma, reduces water loss from the leaves |
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Nitrogen |
Component of proteins, hormones, chlorophyll, vitamins, and enzymes |
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Sulphur |
Component of proteins, vitamins, and calcium activates |
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Calcium |
Activates enzymes, is a structural component of the cell wall, influences water movement in cells |
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Magnesium |
Component of chlorophyll, activates many enzymes |
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Micronutrients
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Iron |
Necessary for photosynthesis, activates many enzymes |
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Molybdenum |
Component of the enzyme that reduces nitrates to ammonia, important in building amino acids born |
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Boron
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Important in sugar transport, cell division, and synthesizing certain enzymes |
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Copper |
Component of several enzymes |
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Manganese |
Involved in enzyme activity for photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen metabolism |
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Zinc |
Required in a large number of enzymes |
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Chlorine |
Involved in osmosis of water |
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Nickel |
Required in a nitrogen metabolism |
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Note: Carbon and oxygen are absorbed from the air, while other elements are absorbed from the soil.
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