CHAPTER 3 NUTRITION IN PLANT

CHAPTER 3
NUTRITION IN

PLANTS

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3.1 MAIN INORGANIC NUTRIENT

Plants need inorganic nutrients to produce organic compounds such as carbohydrates and
proteins

MAIN INORGANIC NUTRIENT

MACRONUTRIENT MICRONUTRIENT
• Carbon (C) • Chloride (Cl)
• Calcium (Ca) • Zinc (Zn)
• Hydrogen (H) • Iron (Fe)
• Magnesium (Mg) • Copper (Cu)
• Oxygen (O) • Manganese (Mn)
• Phosphorus (P) • Nickel (Ni)
• Nitrogen (N) • Boron (B)
• Sulphur (S) • Molybdenum (Mo)
• Potassium (K)
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The Necessity of Macronutrients in Plants
CARBON (C), OXYGEN (O) AND HYDROGEN (H) POTASSIUM (K)
Importance : Importance :

 components in carbon cycle and oxygen cycle  Protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolisms
 Components in all organic compound  As cofactor for some enzymes
 Components in synthesis of sugar  Maintains plant turgidity
Deficiency : Deficiency :
 Photosynthesis cannot take place  Proteins synthesis disrupted
 Less oxygen released
 Edges of leaves become yellowish
 Stunted growth which can caused death  Premature death of plants

NITROGEN (N) PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA MRSM TRANSKRIAN
Importance :
 Give green colour through the formation of chlorophyll
 Main component of proteins, nucleic acid and
enzymes in photosynthesis and respiration
Deficiency :
 Leaves undergoes chlorosis mainly on matured leaves
 Underlying leaves fall off
 Protein synthesis disrupted
 Stunted growth

The Necessity of Macronutrients in Plants

CALCIUM (Ca) MAGNESIUM (Mg)
Importance : Importance :
 Main component of middle lamella, cell wall and
spindle fibres during cell division  Main component of the structure of chlorophyll
Deficiency : molecule
 Stunted growth
 Leaves become distorted and lobed  Activates some plant enzymes
 Parts between leaf veins become yellowish  Involved in carbohydrate metabolism
PHOSPHORUS (P)
Importance : Deficiency :
 Synthesis nucleic acids, ATP and phospholipid in  Parts between matured leaf veins become yellowish
plasma membrane
 As coenzymes in photosynthesis and respiration  Red spots on leaf surfaces
Deficiency :  Lobed leaves
 Unhealthy root growth SULPHUR (S)
 Formation of dark green and dull coloured leaves Importance :
 Red or purple spots appear on older leaves
 Component of few amino acids
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coenzymes
Deficiency :
 Leaves or the whole plant turns yellow

The Necessity of Micronutrients in Plants

CHLORINE (Cl) MANGANESE (Mn)
Importance : Importance :
 In the equilibrium of osmotic pressure in cells
and photosynthesis reaction  Activates photosynthetic enzymes
Deficiency :  Cell respiration and nitrogen metabolism
 Plant wilt
 Slower root growth Deficiency :
 Leaves undergo chlorosis  Network of dark green leaf veins with a background
 Lesser fruit production
IRON (Fe) of light green
Importance :  Light brown or grey spots in between leaf veins
 Act as a cofactor in chlorophyll
BORON (B)
synthesis Importance :
 Important in the growth of young plants  Helps the roots in calcium ion uptake and sucrose

Deficiency : translocation
 Young leaves become yellowish  Involves in carbohydrate metabolism

 Helps in germination of pollen
Deficiency :

 Death of terminal buds and abnormal growth
 Leaves become thicker, rolled up and fragile

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The Necessity of Micronutrients in Plants

ZINC (Zn) COPPER (Cu)
Importance : Importance :
 Importance in leaf formation  Involved in nitrogen metabolism and photosynthesis
 Synthesis of auxin (growth hormone)  Important for growth, reproduction and flower
 As a cofactor in carbohydrate metabolism
Deficiency : formation
 Leaf surfaces become spotted with chlorosis Deficiency :
 Death in young shoot apex
parts  Brown spots on terminal leaves
 Stunted growth  Plants become stunted

NICKEL (Ni) MOLYBDENUM (Mo)
Importance : Importance :
 Component of plant enzymes
 Involved in the breakdown of urea to become  Involved in nitrogen fixation and nitrate reduction
during protein synthesis
ammonia Deficiency :
Deficiency :
 Stunted growth  Chlorosis in between matured leaf veins
 Reduce crop production  Leaf colour becomes pale green
 Burnt effect at the end of leaves due to urea  Reduces crop production
accumulation
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 A culture solution is used to study the COMPLETE KNOP’S CULTURE SOLUTION
importance of nutrients for plant
growth Calcium nitrate Ca(NO3)2 0.8g
Potassium nitrate, KNO3 0.2g
 KNOP’S SOLUTION contains all Potassium dihydrogen 0.2g
nutrients including trace elements phosphate, KH2PO4
Magnesium sulphate, MgSO4 0.2g
needed by healthy plants Iron (III) phosphate, FePO4 Trace
 Prepared by a chemist named Distilled water 1000 cm3

WILHELM KNOP IN 1859

Composition of a complete
Knop’s Culture Solution

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3.2 ORGAN FOR WATER AND MINERAL SALTS UPTAKE

Two main functions of roots:
i. Provide support and strength to anchor the plant in the soil
ii. Absorb water and mineral salts from the soil and transport them to the stem and leaves

Root cap : Root collar :
F : located at the tip F : part of the root

of the root connected to the base
protects the root of the plant stem
from damage when
going through the soil Root hairs:
F : i. adapted from epidermal

cells of the roots
ii. Increases the total surface

area of the roots to
increase the uptake of
water and mineral salts

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Root Adaptations For Water and Mineral Salts Uptake

The internal structures of roots

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Root Adaptations For Water and Mineral Salts Uptake
ENDODERMIS:
EPIDERMIS:
L : separating layer between cortex and vascular
C1 : closely arranged cylinder
F1 : increase surface area
C2 : thin cell walls and water permeable cell membranes C1 : endodermal cells are closely arranged and one
F2 : facilitate water movement in the roots cell thick
C3 : there are epidermal cells
F3 : to form root hairs by elongating towards lateral sides from C2 : most endodermal cells have suberin or lignin
thickening at the walls which form a Casparian
the outer walls strips
C4 : root hair cells are not layered with cuticle
F4 : allow water absorption F : allow water and mineral salts absorption from
C5: the root hair cells have a big vacuoles the soil to enter the vascular cylinder but not air
F5: to store water and mineral salts to increase water absorption bubbles

CORTEX: VASCULAR CYLINDER:
C1 : is the root core that consists of xylem and phloem
L : located under the epidermal layer
C1 : has thin cell walls tissues surrounded by one cell thick pericycle cell
F1 : Facilitate water movement in the roots tissues
C2 : the cells are loosely arranged C2 : consists pericycle
F2 : to facilitate gaseous exchange F2 : involved in secondary growth and the formation of
C3 : most of the cortex consists of parenchyma lateral roots
C3 : xylem and phloem are arranged in star-shaped patters
cells F 4 : Xylem : transport water and mineral salts
phloem : transport organic substances such as
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sucrose and plant hormone

3.3 DIVERSITY IN PLANT NUTRITION

Nutrition:
 Is the process of organisms obtaining energy and nutrients from food for growth,

maintenance and repair of damaged tissues
 Parasitic, epiphytic and carnivorous plants have different adaptations to obtain nutrients

PARASITIC PLANTS Rafflesia sp.
i. Growing on other plants which are the

hosts
ii. The roots absorb organic substances,

mineral and water from the host by
penetrating the stem up to the vascular
bundles of the host
iii. The host is malnourished, dried and will
eventually die

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EPIPHYTIC PLANTS Bulbophyllum sp.
i. Are green plants which live on other plants Asplenium sp.

which are the hosts
ii. Receive more sunlight for photosynthesis by

living on taller hosts
iii. These plants synthesise their own food
iv. Do not harm the host because the roots of

epiphytes can absorb nutrients accumulated
in the gaps of the plant’s stem
v. Most epiphytes have swollen stems that are
able to store a lot of water

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CARNIVOROUS PLANTS Dionaea muscipula
(Venus fly trap)
i. Able to synthesise their own food by carrying out
photosynthesis Nepenthes sp.
(Pitcher plant)
ii. Secrete nectar and they have cups to trap their
pray, typically insects

iii. The prey are then slowly digested by digestive
enzymes

iv. The trapped animals can supply nitrogen to the
plants

v. Nitrogen is important for growth this is because
carnivorous plants live in soil which lacks nitrogen
sources

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