CHAPTER#12.

Nutrition
• 12.1.1 define nutrition
 Nutrition in plants

The process by which living organism obtain

energy to performed all their function of life.
12.1.2 differentiate between
autotrophic
and
heterotrophic nutrition in
plants
 Types of nutrition

Living organism can be divided into two groups

on the basis of their mode of nutrition
A.Autotrophic:(can prepare their organic
compound from their inorganic raw material)
B.Heterotrophic:
 Types of autotrophic nutrition(2)
• A.Phototrophic nutrition:
Examples:plants ,bacteria,algae.

• B.Chemotrophic nutrition:
• Example: chemosynhetic bacteria
12.1.3 describe various conditions
caused by the deficiency of:

a. nitrogen
b. phosphorus
c. potassium
d. magnesium
*Major types of macronutrients mineral nutrients

1.nitrogen:( Nitrogen is also included in the

mineral nutrients because it is normally
obtained by the plant from soil ,whereas it is not
a mineral element.
2.phosphorus
3.potassium
4.Magnesium
 Nitrogen(N)
Uses:
• It is found in soil in the form of nitrates or
ammonium salt.

• It is an essential constituent of
protein ,nucleotides,nucleic acid and many
other organic molecules like chlorophyll, so the
biosynthesis of these molecules require
nitrogen.
Nitrogen deficiency symptoms in plants
1.Leaves turn pale yellow due to loss of chlorophyll
content called chlorosis.

2.Process of cell division and cell elongation are inhibited.

3.Rate of respiration affected.

4.In certain plants veins turn purple or red due to

development of anthocyanin pigment.
• Eg, tomato and apple leaves.
 Nitrogen deficiency
5.Plant growth remains stunted .

6.lateral buds remain dormant as result cereal do

not show tillering (cultivation).

7.Prolong dormancy.

8.Early senescence(become old) including leaf fall.

 Phosphorus(p)
Uses:
• Plant absorb phosphorus in the form of soluble
phosphate such as H3PO4 and HPO4.

• It is present in sufficient amount in growing and

storage organs like fruits and seeds .

• It promotes healthy roots growth and fruits

ripening by helping translocation of carbohydrates.

• In body of plants” P” is present in the form of

nucleic acid, phospholipids , ATP, NADP
compounds .
 Phosphorus(p)
Uses:
• Phosphorus is also involve in the formation of cell
membrane as phospholipid., nucleic acid,
coenzyme (NAD and NADP) and organic molecules
such as ATP and other phosphorylated products.

• It plays an important role in the energy transfer

reaction in oxidation-reduction processes.

• They are involved in many processes like

photosynthesis , respiration , nitrogen metabolism
and fatty acids synthesis.
 Deficiency symptoms of Phosphorus

1.In case of phosphorus deficiency a few symptoms

resembles that of Nitrogen deficiency like premature leaf
fall and development of purple red anthocyanin pigments

2.Cambium activity is checked.

3.Tillering of crop plants is reduced

4.Dormancy is prolonged

5.Growth is retarted.
 Deficiency symptoms of Phosphorus
6.Dead necrotic patches appear on leaves petioles
and fruits

7.Variable colours developing eg: plate green in

pisum and olive green in phaseolus.

8.Accumulation of carbohydrates also occur.

9.Thickening of tracheal cells are reduced and

phloem differentiation becomes incomplete.
 Potassium (K)
Uses : Potassium is widely distributed in soil
minerals .It is strongly fixed in soil therefore
found in less available form . Exchangeable
potassium appear to be readily available to the
plants . The best known function of potassium is
its role in stomatal opening and closing.
It is found in highest concentration in
meristematic region of plants.
 Potassium (K)
• It is an essential activator for enzymes
involved in synthesis of certain peptide bonds
and carbohydrate metabolism.
Deficiency symptoms of Potassium (K)

1.The color of leaf may turn into dull or bluish

green.
2.An irregular chlorosis occurs first, which is
followed by development of necrotic areas of
the tip and margin of the leaf.
3.Plant is stunted in growth with a pronounced
shortening of internodes and reduced
production of grains
Deficiency symptoms of Potassium (K)
4.Lamina of broad leaf plant curl backward
towards the under surface or roll forward
towards the upper surface parallel with mid rib.
 Magnesium(Mg)
Uses:Mg is present in soil in water
soluble ,exchangeable and fixed form and is present
in primary minerals . It is found as carbonates
similar to that of calcium and held in soil as
exchangeable base . It is constituent of chlorophyll
and therefore essential for the formation of green
pigment . It act as phosphorous carrier in plants ,
particularly in connection with the formation of
seed of high oil contents(lipid reach seeds) which
contain compound lecithin.
 Magnesium(Mg)
• It is readily mobile and when its deficiency
occur it is apparently transferred from older
to young tissues where it can be reutilized in
growth process. Mg is essential for synthesis
of fat and metabolism of carbohydrates and
phosphorus.
 Deficiency symptoms of Mg
1.Deficiency symptoms first appear in the older
leaves and than proceed systematically towards
younger leaves.
2.Chlorosis occur
3.Leaves some time develop necrotic spots.
4.Severely affected leaves may wither and shed or
absciss(separating; removal) without the withering stage
5.Defoliation may be quite severe.
12.1.4 differentiate among various
modes of heterotrophic nutrition in
plants, i.e.

a. saprophytic nutrition
b. parasitic nutrition
c. symbiotic nutrition
d. insectivorous nutrition;
 a.Saprophytes
• These are special plants which grow upon dead
organic matters.

• These plants do not contain chlorophyll.

• Their roots are without root hairs and can not
absorb nourishments from the soil.

• They decompose dead organic food into simpler

compounds and use them for their growth and
development.

• Eg:1.Neothia (bird‘s net /orchid).

2.monotropa(indian pipe)
Neothia(saprophytes)

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Monotropa(Saprophytes)

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 a.Saprophytic
• In these cases of plants ,roots form an mycorrhizal
association with fungal mycelium to help in the
absorption process .

• They produced extracellular enzymes which digest the

decaying matter and then absorb the their soluble
products back into their cells .

• some bacteria break down the protein of dead plants

and animals and release nitrates which are taken up by
the plants roots and then built into new amino acids
and proteins thus helping in nitrogen cycle.
 Parasitic plants(depend on other living
organism for nutrition)
• Types of parasitic plants(TWO)

A. obligate parasite /Total parasite(totally

depend on living host for nutrition)

B.Facultative parasite/partial parasite(partially

depend on other living organism for nutrition)

Note: For obtaining their food parasitic plants

develop haustoria which penetrate into host
tissue for absorption nutrients.
Four types of parasitic angiosperm plants

1.Partial stem parasite

2.Total stem parasite
3.partial root parasite
4.Total root parasite
 Partial stem parasite
• These plants grow upon other host plant
• these plants can prepare some of their food
material due to presence of chlorophyll and
they partially depends on host plants .

• They absorb nutrients and water from host

plants by the help of haustoria.

• Eg:Loranthus , viscum and cassytha filiformis

Loranthus(Partial stem parasite)

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 loranthus
• Loranthus is a partial stem parasite .

• It has well developed thick green leaves , woody stem

and elaborated haustorial system

• The seed gets stuck up to the stem of the host plant

and germinate sending, it penetrates haustoria in the
tissue of the host.

• Loranthus host are shrubs like ,roseaceous trees ,

bauhinia and mangoes.
Viscum

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Cassytha filiformis

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 Cassytha filiformis
• Found in tropics ,a leafless ,wiry stem send
haustoria that penetrates in stem to develop
connection with vascular tissue of host plants
for absorption of nutrients.
 Total stem parasite
They send haustoria inside the tissue of host to
absorb food material ultimately host plant die.
Xylem of parasite -------------------xylem of host
Phloem of parasite------------------Phloem of host
Eg: Cuscuta plant(amar bail)
Cuscuta(Total stem parasite)

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 Partial root parasite
• These plants gets their food partially from the
roots of other plants.

• Eg: sandal wood tree.

Sandal wood tree(Partial root parasite)

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 Sandal wood tree
• It seedling does not grow independently .

• it roots absorb nourishment from the roots of other

plants .

• it seedling can grow for a year but not so

independent.

• With in a year the sucking roots of plants attack the

root of neighboring trees and from them nutrient
are absorbed.
Orobanche(Total root parasite)

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 Total root parasite
• These plants obtain their food completely from the
roots of neighbouring plants.
• These plants usually attacks on the plants of family
cruciferae and solonaceae .
• Total root parasite plants examples are

• 1.orobanche plants :usually attacks on the plants of

family cruciferae and solonaceae .

• 2.striga: is a parasit on the roots of

sugarcane,sorghum,jawar.
• 3.cistanche :parasites on the roots of calatropis
plants.
 c. symbiotic nutrition
• Mycorrhiza is an association between a fungus
and roots of higher plants.
• The fungus depends upon the photosynthate of
the plant.

• The benefit derived by mycorrhiza plant is not

properly understood.

• However, it is known that the plants with

mycorrhizal association show better growth than
those without fungal partner.
 c. symbiotic nutrition
• Leguminous plants have nodules on their roots,
which contain nitrogen fixing bacteria .

• The bacteria live on the plant material and fix

nitrogen, converting it into nitrates, which the
plant uses.
 d.Carnivorous plants (insectivorous plants)

• These plants contain chlorophyll and manufacture

their own food but can not prepare nitrogenous
compound and proteins ,so to get these
compound plants use insects .

• These plants usually grows in those regions where

nitrogen is not sufficiently available so they
depend upon insects for nitrogen and proteins.
 d.Carnivorous plants
• Mostly carnivorous plants digest insects by
enzymes secreted by the leaves .

• In fact enzymes secreted by these plants are

similar to those found in human stomach eg:
pepsin.

NOTE:An enzyme made in the stomach that breaks down

proteins in food during digestion.
 Examples of carnivorous plants
1.Pitcher plant
2.Sun dew plant
3.Venus fly trap
Pitcher plant

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1.Pitcher plant(sarracenia purpurea):
• It has modified leaves of pitcher/flask shaped .

• Pitcher are used to capture the insects.it has lid to

close its mouth .

• when insects are come on its mouth they are slip

into the pitcher . pitcher has stiff hairs which
prevent insect from climbing out .

• From the inner surface of pitcher digestive

enzymes are secreted which help in the digestion
of insects also decomposed by bacteria and
product of this decay are absorbed by pitcher leaf.
Drosera intermedia(sundew plant)

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Drosera intermedia(sundew plant)

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 2.Sundew plant(Drosera intermedia)
• A plant with loose and about half a dozen
prostrate radiating leaves .

• These tiny leaves bear hair like tentacles with

glands at its tip .

• These glands secretes a fluid which glitters in

sunlight like dew .

• The insect are attracted by smell/odour then

captured by tentacles than digest by enzymes.
Dionaea muscipula(venus fly trap)

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Dionaea muscipula(venus fly
trap)

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Venus fly trap

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Venus fly trap inflorescence

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 3.Venus fly trap(Dionaea muscipula)
• It has rosette of prostrate radiating leaves with the
inflorescence in the center .

• The petiole is winged.

• Lamina has two halves with mid rib in center each

half has 12-20 teeth.

• The teeth of one half can interlocked with the teeth

of other half .

• In the center of the dorsal surface of lamina

numerous secretory glands are present.