Soil nutrients

soil nutrients

1. SOIL FERTILITY

2. CONTENT Introduction Types of nutrients Macronutrients Micro nutrients fertilizers

3. INTRODUCTION FERTILITY The ability of the soil to supply essential plant nutrients and soil water in adequate amounts and proportions for plant growth and reproduction in the absence of toxic substances which may inhibit plant growth.

4. INTRODUCTION NUTRIENT Nutrients are chemical elements that are essential for the growth and fertility. DEFICENCY Plant condition where an essential nutrient is not sufficiently available. MICRO NUTRIENTS Nutrient needed in smaller quantities

5. CONT. MACRO NUTRIENTS Nutrient needed in larger quantities TOXICITY A point that is reached where too much of a nutrient becomes poisonous

6. TYPES OF NUTRIENTS There are two basic type of nutrients that are presnt in the soil to make it a fertile one: Macro nutrients Micro nutrients MACRO VS MICRO Macro nutrients are required by the plant in relatively large amounts Micro nutrients are required only in small amounts

7. MACRO NUTRIENTS NON MINERAL ELEMENTS carbon (C) hydrogen (H) oxygen (O) PRIMARY NUTRIENTS Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K) SECONDARY NUTRIENTS calcium (Ca) magnesium (Mg) sulfur (S)

8. NITROGEN ABUNDANCE 98% of the planet’s nitrogen is in the primary rock of the Earth, the remaining 2% is in the atmosphere IMPORTANT FOR PLANT Promotes growth of leaves and stems Makes up 1% to 4% of plant’s harvested material Crops absorbed more nitrogen from the soil than any other nutrient. Most frequently the limiting factor in crop production. Necessary to develop cell proteins and chlorophyll

9. NITROGEN DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Chlorosis : sick, yellow-green color short stems, small leaves, pale colored leaves and flowers slow and dwarfed plant growth

10. PHOSPHOROUS 3 rd most readily absorbed nutrient Stimulates early formation and growth of roots Provides for fast and vigorous growth and speeds maturity Stimulates flowering and seed development Necessary for the enzyme action of many plant processes

11. PHOSPHOROUS DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS decrease in growth slow maturity older leaves are purplish color

12. POTASSIUM 2 nd most readily absorbed Used to form carbohydrates and proteins Water intake and respiration Formation and transfer of starches, sugars and oils Increases disease resistance and hardiness

13. POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Shorter and weaker plants spotted, streaked or curled leaves burned, browning . dead leaf tips and margins

14. CALCIUM Improves plant vigor Influences intake and synthesis of other plant nutrients Promotes root and leaf growth DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Chlorosis beginning in the leaf edges and moving inward wrinkled older leaves dead stem tips

15. MAGNESIUM Helps make fats Vital for photosynthesis Chlorophyll or the green coloring of the plant Needed for protein synthesis DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Leaves curl along the margins Leaf parts show a whitish color

16. SULFUR Promotes root growth and vigorous vegetative growth Essential to protein formation Stimulates seed production DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Similar symptoms to that of a nitrogen deficiency. Stunted appearance. young leaves are light green with lighter color veins

17. MICRO NUTRIENTS Iron (Fe) Copper (Cu) Zinc (Zn) Boron (B) Molybdenum (Mo) Manganese ( Mn ) Chlorine ( Cl )

18. MICRONUTRIENTS IRON Essential for chlorophyll production COPPER Helps respiration ZINC helps form growth hormones Reproduction BORON affects water absorption by roots MANGANESE nitrogen transformation

19. MANGANESE nitrogen transformation MOLYBDENUM plant development CHLORINE acts in enzyme systems

20. PROVISION OF NUTRIENTS IN SOIL The nutrients can be maintainede in the soil to increase the fertility by adding the different fertilizers Fertilizers can be Organic Inorganic

21. ORGANIC VS IN ORGANIC ORGANIC INORGANIC Comes from plant or animal matter and contains carbon compounds. Natural product Not easily leached from the soil Hard to get Not sterile Expensive Comes from sources other than animals or plants Chemical products easily leached from the soil Easy to get easy to get lower cost

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