Explain the role of mineral elements in plant life with the reference to macronutrients and micronutrients?
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.
Role of mineral elements in plant life | ||
Mineral elements' role | Role in plant life | |
Macronutrients
| Carbon | Forms the backbone of many plant biomolecules |
Hydrogen | Necessary for building biomolecules | |
Oxygen | Necessary for cellular respiration | |
Phosphorus | Component of ATP, nucleic acids, and coenzymes, necessary for seed germination, photosynthesis, protein formation, etc. | |
Potassium | Regulates the opening and closing of the stoma, reduces water loss from the leaves | |
Nitrogen | Component of proteins, hormones, chlorophyll, vitamins, and enzymes | |
Sulphur | Component of proteins, vitamins, and calcium activates | |
Calcium | Activates enzymes, is a structural component of the cell wall, influences water movement in cells | |
Magnesium | Component of chlorophyll, activates many enzymes | |
Micronutrients
| Iron | Necessary for photosynthesis, activates many enzymes |
Molybdenum | Component of the enzyme that reduces nitrates to ammonia, important in building amino acids born | |
Boron
| Important in sugar transport, cell division, and synthesizing certain enzymes | |
Copper | Component of several enzymes | |
Manganese | Involved in enzyme activity for photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen metabolism | |
Zinc | Required in a large number of enzymes | |
Chlorine | Involved in osmosis of water | |
Nickel | Required in a nitrogen metabolism | |
Note: Carbon and oxygen are absorbed from the air, while other elements are absorbed from the soil.