Explain the role of mineral elements in plant life with the reference to macronutrients and micronutrients?

Question

Accepted Answer

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.