TABLE 1 The Role of Inorganic Elements in Plant Nutrition and Their Deficiency Symptoms Form in which Element Absorbed

Important Roles/Functions Deficiency Symptoms Macronutrients CO2 carbon major component of organic rarely limiting as a compounds; presence defines nutrient; no specific organic symptoms H2O hydrogen major component of organic compounds rarely limiting as a nutrient; no specific symptom rarely limiting as a nutrient; no specific symptoms chlorosis; severe cases: turn yellow, die; some plants turn purple as anthocyanins accumulate in vacuoles; nutrient most likely to be deficient in soil weak, spindly stems and roots; older leaves especially affected mottled with dead spots along margins and dead tips; roots more susceptible to disease root and shoot tips die; young leaves and shoots most affected, die back at tips and margins first

H2O, O2 oxygen major component of organic compounds NO3, NH4

nitrogen

part of amino acids, proteins, nucleotides, nucleic acids, chlorophylls, coenzymes

K+ potassium involved in osmosis, ionic balance, opening and closing of stomata; activator of enzymes; necessary for starch formation

Ca2+ calcium component of middle lamella of cell walls; enzyme cofactor; involved in membrane permeability; component of calmodulin (regulator of membrane and enzyme activities) component of ATP and ADP (essential energy-carrying compounds), nucleic acids,

phosphorus

stunted growth of whole plant; dark green color; antho cyanins accumulate

several essential coenzymes, phospholipids of membranes

in vacuoles giving purple tinge to leaves; second most-likely nutrient to be deficient in soil

Mg2+ magnesium center of chlorophyll molecule; leaf tips and margins turn activator of many enzymes upward on mostly older leaves; chlorosis, mottling, some dead spots and reddish color of leaves SO42 sulfur component of some amino acids, proteins, and coenzyme A; can be absorbed through stomata as gaseous SO2 young leaves with chlorosis between the veins: sulfur is rarely limiting

Micronutrients iron Fe2+ or Fe3+ required for chlorophyll synthesis; component of cytochromes and nitrogenase (important in respiration and photosynthesis) activator or component of several enzymes; involved in auxin synthesis, maintenance of ribosome structure MoO42+ molybdenum required for nitrogen fixation and nitrate reduction (nitrate reductase) chlorosis starting in older leaves and progressing to younger; death of interveinal areas and then of whole leaf young tissues most affected; apical meristems die; root tips swollen and discolored; young leaves yellow at base, twisted short, slender roots; chlorosis between the veins in leaves

Zn2+ zinc leaf size and internodal length much reduced; leaf margins deformed; chlorosis between veins, especially in older leaves

boron

influences Ca2+utilization, formation of nucleic acids, maintenance of membranes; essential for growth of pollen tubes Cu2 or Cu2+

copper

activator of enzymes, present wilting and twisting of dark in some; involved in oxidation- green young leaves; often with numerous dead spots

reduction Mn2+ manganese

on blades; copper is rarely deficient interveinal chlorosis and dead spots; thylakoid membranes disintegrate

Cl chlorine

activator of enzymes, required for O2 release in photosynthesis, integrity of the chloroplast membrane; electron transfers involved in water balance (osmosis), ionic balance; probably essential in photosynthetic O2-releasing reactions

leaves wilt; turn reddish bronze in color; chlorosis, dead spots; stunted roots with abnormal thickening near tips leaf tips with dead spots

nickel

Ni

essential part of enzyme in nitrogen metabolism