Plant Nutrition : Macronutrients

(N, P, K, S, Mg and Ca)

 “Tanah, dan bukan air, merupakan materi
yang menyusun tanaman”
Spring Rain Thames River
Woodward compared water water water
plant growth in water
containing different
amounts of “mineral
matter” to test the
assumption that water is a
plant’s sole requirement
Weight gain:
55% 62% 93%

“Some thoughts and

Woodward
Woodwardconcluded
concludedthat
that
experiments concerning
vegetation” (1699)
mineral matternourishes
mineralmatter nourishes
plants,
plants,laying
layingthe
thefoundation
foundation
for
forthe
thestudy
studyofofplant
plantmineral
mineral
nutrition
nutrition
 “Law of the Minimum”: Nutrient
in least supply limits growth
Carl Sprengel Growth is
1787 - 1859 determined by
whichever
nutrient is
present in
Justus von Liebig shortest supply
1803 - 1873

Stamp issued 150 years

after his birth

Biodiversity Heritage Library

 Lawes & Gilbert began investigating plant nutrition
at Rothamsted 1843
Joseph Henry Gilbert
1817 - 1901
John Bennett Lawes
1814 - 1901 Lawes’ estate is now
Rothamsted Research,
the longest-running
agricultural experiment
station

Lawes’ Superphosphate
factory pioneered the
production of
chemically-synthesized
fertilizers
Images used by permission of Rothamsted Research
 Plants assimilate mineral nutrients from their
surroundings

Nutrient assimilation
can occur across the
surface of the plant or
through the root
system of vascular
plants
K+
NO3- NO3-
NO3-
K+ K+

PO43-
K+
K+
K+ PO43-
PO43- PO4 3-
PO43-
PO43-
NO3 -

K+ K+
 Plants assimilate mineral nutrients mainly as
cations or anions
MACRONUTRIENTS MICRONUTRIENTS
μmol / g Element Assimilated μmol / g Element Assimilated
(dry wt) form (dry wt) form
250 Potassium K+ 2 Iron (Fe) Fe3+, Fe2+
(K) 0.002 Nickel (Ni) Ni+
1000 Nitrogen (N) NO3-, NH4+ 1 Manganese Mn2+
60 Phosphorus HPO42-, (Mn)
(P) H2PO4- 0.1 Copper (Cu) Cu2+
30 Sulfur (S) SO42- 0.001 Molybdenum MoO42+
(Mo)
80 Magnesium Mg2+
(Mg) 2 Boron (B) H3BO3
125 Calcium (Ca) Ca2+ 3 Chlorine (Cl) Cl-
Charged
Chargedions
ionsrequire
require 0.3 Zinc (Zn) Zn2+
transport
transport proteinstotocross
proteins cross
membranes
membranes
 However, larger and more complex nutrients also can be
taken up

Other, non-
carnivorous plants
can obtain nutrients
from proteins and
even microbes,
Carnivorous plants can although these
obtain nutrients by
digesting trapped processes are very
animals inefficient

Schmidt, S., Raven, J.A. and Paungfoo-Lonhienne, C. (2013). The mixotrophic nature of photosynthetic plants. Funct. Plant Biol. 40: 425-438 by permission of CSIRO Publishing; Adlassnig, W., Koller-Peroutka, M.,
Bauer, S., Koshkin, E., Lendl, T. and Lichtscheidl, I.K. (2012). Endocytotic uptake of nutrients in carnivorous plants. Plant J. 71: 303-313. Hill, P.W., Marsden, K.A. and Jones, D.L. (2013). How significant to plant N
nutrition is the direct consumption of soil microbes by roots? New Phytol. 199: 948-955.
 Vascular plants assimilate mineral nutrients
mostly via roots

By increasing surface area for absorption,

root hairs functionally resemble
microvilli of an animal’s intestinal
epithelium

Membrane transporters facilitate nutrient uptake

Barberon, M. and Geldner, N. (2014). Radial transport of nutrients: the plant root as a polarized epithelium. Plant Physiol. 166: 528-
537.
Roots have several adaptations
to enhance nutrient capture
Biochemical
responses Developmental
responses

Prokaryotic
symbiotic partners
Fungal
symbiotic
partners
Schmidt, S., Raven, J.A. and Paungfoo-Lonhienne, C. (2013). The mixotrophic nature of photosynthetic plants. Funct. Plant Biol. 40: 425-438 by permission of CSIRO
publishing.
 Elemen Essential

• Klasifikasi elemen essential;

– Ketiadaan elemen tersebut menyebabkan tumbuhan
tidak mampu menyelesaikan daur hidupnya
_ Tidak dapat digantikan oleh elemen lain
_ Efek yang ditimbulkan adalah secara langsung
_ Dibedakan menjadi :
* makronutrient (10 -3 to 10 -2 mol/L)
* mikronutrient (10-7 mol/L)
 1. Essential Nutriens of Plants

Chemical Atomic Ionic forms Approximate dry

Element symbol weight Absorbed by plants ____ concentration_____
Mccronutrients
Nitrogen N 14.01 NO3-, NH4+ 4.0 %
Phosphorus P 30.98 PO43-, HPO42-, H2PO4- 0.5 %
Potassium K 39.10 K+ 4.0 %
Magnesium Mg 24.32 Mg2+ 0.5 %
Sulfur S 32.07 SO42- 0.5 %
Calcium Ca 40.08 Ca2+ 1.0 %
Micronutrients
Iron Fe 55.85 Fe2+, Fe3+ 200 ppm
Manganese Mn 54.94 Mn2+ 200 ppm
Zinc Zn 65.38 Zn2+ 30 ppm
Copper Cu 63.54 Cu2+ 10 ppm
Boron B 10.82 BO32-, B4O72- 60 ppm
Molybdenum Mo 95.95 MoO42- 2 ppm
Chlorine Cl 35.46 Cl- 3000 ppm
Essential But Not Applied
Carbon C 12.01 CO2 40 %
Hydrogen H 1.01 H2O 6%
Oxygen O 16.00 O2, H2O 40 %
________________________________________________________________
Plant tissues also contain other elements (Na, Se, Co, Si, Rb, Sr, F, I) which are not
needed for the normal growth and development.
 Beneficial elements

• Tidak diperlukan secara absolut untuk survival

tetapi dapat memacu pertumbuhan dan vigor
• Contoh :
• Selenium (SeO42-)
• Rubidium (Rb+)
• Strontium (Sr2+)
• Aluminium (Al3+)
Klasifikasi nutrien berdasarkan fungsi biokimiawi
Klasifikasi nutrien berdasarkan fungsi biokimiawi
Klasifikasi nutrien berdasarkan fungsi biokimiawi
• Senyawa organik yg mengandung N yang
diperlukan untuk metabolisme sel : Vitamin,
cofactors, hormones, chlorophyll, fitokrom
• Senyawa metabolit sekunder yang mengandung
N : alkaloids (morphine, nicotine, quinine)
• Non photosynthetic pigmen contain N :
betacyanin
 Nitrogen: The most abundant mineral
element in a plant
• The most abundant element in
the earth’s atmosphere
• The 4th most abundant element
in a plant (after C, H and O)
• Often the limiting nutrient for
plant growth

N is in amino acids
(proteins), nucleic
acids (DNA, RNA),
chlorophyll, and
countless small
molecules
Nitrogen is one of the
three major
macronutrients found
in most fertilizers
Blank, L.M. (2012). The cell and P: From cellular function to biotechnological application. Curr. Opin. Biotech. 23: 846 – 851.From:
Buchanan, B.B., Gruissem, W. and Jones, R.L. (2000) Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants. American Society of Plant
Physiologists.
 Nitrogen can be found in many inorganic forms

Species Name Oxidation

State
R-NH2 Organic nitrogen, urea -3
NO2-
NH3, NH4+ Ammonia, -3 Nitrification
ammonium ion
N2 Nitrogen 0 NO3-Nitrate Aerobic
reduction reactions
N2O Nitrous oxide +1 Anaerobic NH3
reactions
NO Nitric oxide +2 NO2- NO Nitrogen
fixation
HNO2, Nitrous acid,
nitrite ion
+3 N2O N2
NO2-
NO2 Nitrogen dioxide +4
HNO3, Nitric acid, nitrate ion +5
NO3-
Adapted from Robertson, G.P. and Vitousek, P.M. (2009). Nitrogen in agriculture: Balancing the cost of an essential resource. Annu. Rev. Environ. Res. 34: 97-125.
 A. Nitrogen (N)
1) Soil Nitrogen Cycle

Fiksasi Nitrogen : transformasi N dari atmosfir

menjadi N tersedia bagi tumbuhan perlu bakteri yg mampu
memfiksasi N :
Rhizobium (symbiotic) found in legumes (bean, soybean)
Azotobacter (non-symbiotic bacteria)

Nitrifikasi di tanah : dekomposisi bahan organik menjadi

amonium dan nitrat, diperantarai oleh bakteri yang mampu
melakukan amonifikasi dan nitrifikasi
Ammonifying bacteria : (Actinomycetes)
Nitrifying bacteria : (Nitrosomonas) (Nitrobacter)

Plant residue → NH4+ → NO2 → NO3-

(Protein, aa, etc) Ammonium Nitrite Nitrate
 Fungsi N bagi tumbuhan :
•Komponen protein, enzim, asam amino,
asam nukleat, klorofil
•C/N rasio ( karbohidrat : nitrogen rasio)
C/N rasio tinggi : tanaman cenderung dalam fase
reproduktif
C/N rasio rendah : tanaman cenderung dalam fase
vegetatif
•Transaminasi : NO3 ---- NH2 ----- asam glutamat------ asam
amino lain ------- protein / enzim

20
 Gejala defisiensi dan toksisitas N
Defisiensi : pertumbuhan terhambat,
daun tua menjadi kuning

Kelebihan N : pemanjangan tunas / batang

daun hijau gelap, sukulen

21
Pupuk N
- Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)
Calcium nitrate [Ca(NO3)2]
Potassium nitrate (KNO3)
Urea [CO(NH2)2]

- Kebanyakan tumbuhan menyukai 50:50 NH4+ : NO3-

NH4+-form of N → lowers soil pH

NO3--form of N → raises soil pH

- Pupuk organik (manure, plant residue) :

* slow acting
* dapat diaplikasikan lewat daun

22
 Defisiensi Nitrogen
Symptoms
- kerdil
- Daun tua hijau kekuningan
- Kadang semua daun menjadi
hijau muda dan mengalami
klorosis di ujungnya
- Daun mati jika sangat
Tomato kekurangan N

-Daun menjadi sempit, pendek,

tegak, hijau kekuningan
- Seluruh tanaman dapat menjadi
kekuningan
- Mengurangi anakan
- Mengurangi jumlah bulir

Corn
Gejala kekurangan Nitrogen (N)

Daun tua menjadi kuning- nitrogen mudah

tertransport didalam sel tumbuhan
B. Phosphorus (P)
1) keberadaan dalam tanah
- Mineral apatite [Ca5F(PO4)3]
- Relative stabil
- Sulit terserap
2) Fungsi bagi tumbuhan
- Komponen asam nukleat (DNA, RNA), phospholipids, coenzymes, high-
energy phosphate bonds (ADP, ATP)
- Biji memiliki kandungan P tinggi
3)Defisiensi dan toksisitas
- P bersifat mobile / mudah tertransport (Deficiency occurs in older
leaves)
- Defisiensi : dark, purplish color on older leaves
- kelebihan P: causes deficiency symptoms of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn
4) Pupuk
- Superphosphates (may contain F)
Single superphosphate (8.6% P): CaH4(PO4)2
Triple superphosphate (20% P): CaH4(PO4)2
- Ammonium phosphate: (NH4)2PO4, NH4HPO4
- Bone meal
- Available forms: PO43-, HPO42-, H2PO4-
P absorption influenced by pH
 Defisiensi Phosphor
Symptoms
- Tanaman kerdil
- Perkembangan tanaman lambat

-Beberapa spesies seperti tomat,

selada, jagung menunjukkan warna
keunguan pada daun, tangkai daun
Cabernet sauvignon grapes, CA atau batang
- under severe deficiency conditions,
there is also a tendency for leaves to
develop a blue-gray luster
- Pada daun yang tua jika defisiensi P
sangat besar akan terbentuk jaring
warna coklat pada tulang daun
- Terbentuk spot nekrosis

Corn
C. Potassium (K)

1) Keberadaan di tanah
- terdapat cukup banyak pada mineral tanah
- konsentrasi rendah pada tanah organik/humus
2) Fungsi bagi tummbuhan
- Activator banyak enzim-enzim
- pengatur pergerakan air melewati membran dan stomata
3) Deficiency and Toxicity
- Deficiency: Leaf margin necrosis and browning
Older leaves are more affected
- Toxicity: Leaf tip and marginal necrosis
4) Fertilizers
- Potassium chloride (KCl)- murate of potash
- Potassium sulfate (K2SO4)
- Potassium nitrate (KNO3)
Necrosis pada tepi daun Poinsettia
akibat defisiensi Potassium (K)
Potassium deficiency
Soybean
Symptoms
- mottled or marginal chlorosis, which
then develops into necrosis on tips,
margins and between veins
- symptoms initially on more mature
(“older”) leaves
- leaves may curl and crinkle
- stems may be slender and weak, with
abnormally short internodal regions
- in K-deficient corn, nodes may have
increased susceptibility to root-rotting
fungus present in the soil
- this together with stem weakness
results in bending of stems to the
ground (lodging)

Corn
Defisiensi Macronutrients N, P, pada daun
selada

Control
Defisiensi Macronutrient pada tanaman
kacang-kacangan
D. Calcium (Ca)

1) Soil Relations
- Present in large quantities in earth’s surface
- Influences availability of other ions from soil
2) Plant Functions
- Component of cell wall
- Involved in cell membrane function
- Largely present as calcium pectate in meddle lamela
Calcium pectate is immobile in plant tissues
3) Deficiency and Toxicity
- Deficiency symptoms in young leaves and new shoots (Ca is immobile)
Stunted growth, leaf distortion, necrotic spots, shoot tip death
Blossom-end rot in tomato
- No Ca toxicity symptoms have been observed
4) Fertilizers
- Agricultural meal (finely ground CaCO3·MgCO3)
- Lime (CaCO3), Gypsum (CaSO4)
- Superphosphate
- Bone meal-organic P source
 Blossom End Rot of Tomato
Calcium Deficiency

Right-Hydroponic tomatoes grown in the greenhouse,

Left-Blossom end rot of tomato fruits induced by
calcium (Ca++) deficiency
 Sulfur

• Disulphite bridge (-S-S-) stabilize tertiary

protein structure
• Sulphydryl groups (-SH) ada di bagian
aktif enzyme
• Iron-sulphur protein (ferredoxin) involved
in electron transfer
• Flavour (Brassicaceae, onions, garlic)
E. Sulfur (S)

1) Soil Relations
- Present in mineral pyrite (FeS2, fool’s gold), sulfides (S-mineral complex),
sulfates (involving SO4-2)
- Mostly contained in organic matter
- Acid rain provides sulfur
2) Plant Functions
- Component of amino acids (methionine, cysteine)
- Constituent of coenzymes and vitamins
- Responsible for pungency and flavbor (onion, garlic, mustard)
3) Deficiency and Toxicity
- Deficiency: light green or yellowing on new growth (S is immobile)
- Toxicity: not commonly seen
4) Fertilizers
- Gypsum (CaSO4)
- Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4)
- Ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4]
- Elemental sulfur (S)
F. Magnesium (Mg)
1) Soil Relations
- Present in soil as an exchangeable cation (Mg 2+)
- Similar to Ca2+ as a cation
2) Plant Functions
- Core component of chlorophyll molecule
- Catalyst for certain enzyme activity

3) Deficiency and Toxicity

- Deficiency: Interveinal chlorosis on mature leaves
(Mg is highly mobile)
- Excess: Causes deficiency symptoms of Ca, K
4) Fertilizers
- Dolomite (mixture of CaCO3·MgCO3)
- Epsom salt (MgSO4)
- Magnesium nitrate [Mg(NO3)2]
- Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4)
Defisiensi Magnesium (Mg) pada Poinsettia

Interveinal Chlorosis on Mature Leaves

 Micronutrients
• Micronutrient elements
– Iron (Fe)
– Manganese (Mn)
– Boron (B)
– Zinc (Zn)
– Molybdenum (Mo)
– Copper (Cu)
– Chlorine (Cl)
• Usually supplied by irrigation water and soil
• Deficiency and toxicity occur at pH extremes
Influence of pH on Nutrient Availability
3. Micronutrients
A. Iron (Fe)
- Komponen of cytochromes (needed for photosynthesis)
- Essential for N fixation (nitrate reductase) and respiration
- Deficiency
Symptom: Interveinal chlorosis on new growth
Fe is immobile
Iron chlorosis develops when soil pH is high

Remedy for iron chlorosis:

1) Use iron chelates
FeEDTA (Fe 330) – Stable at pH < 7.0
FeEDDHA (Fe 138) – Stable even when pH > 7.0
2) Lower soil pH
Iron is in more useful form (Fe2+)
 Gejala defisiensi Iron (Fe)

1 2

3 4

A B

1-Piggyback Plant, 2- Petunia, 3-Silver

Maple, 4-Rose (A-normal, B-Fe-deficient)
B. Manganese (Mn)
- Required for chlorophyll synthesis, O2 evolution during photoshynthesis
- Activates some enzyme systems
- Deficiency: Mottled chlorsis between main veins of new leaves
(Mn is immobile), similar to Fe chlorosis
- Toxicity: Chlorosis on new growth with small, numerous dark spots
Deficiency occurs at high pH
Toxicity occurs at low pH
- Fertilizers: Manganese sulfate (MnSO4)
Mn EDTA (chelate) for high pH soils
C. Boron (B)
- Involved in carbohydrate metabolism
- Essential for flowering, pollen germination, N metabolism
- Deficiency: New growth distorted and malformed, flowering and fruitset
depressed, roots tubers distorted
- Toxicity: Twig die back, fruit splitting, leaf edge burns
- Fertilizers: Borax (Na2B4O710H2O), calcium borate (NaB4O7 4H2O)
D. Zinc (Zn)
- Involved in protein synthesis, IAA synthesis
- Deficiency: (occurs in calcarious soil and high pH)
Growth suppression, reduced internode lengths, rosetting,
interveinal chlorosis on young leaves (Zn is immobile in tissues)
- Toxicity: (occurs at low pH) Growth reduction, leaf chlorosis
 Micronutrient Toxicity on Seed Geranium

B
Cu

Fe

Mn

Mo

Zn
0.25 0.5
Cont 1 2 3 4 5 6
Concentration (mM)
E. Molybdenum (Mo)
- Required for nitrate reductase activity, vitamin synthesis

Nitrate reductase
NO 3
- ————————————— NH2
Mo
Root-nodule bacteria also requires Mo

- Deficiency: Pale green, cupped young leaves (Mo is immobile)

Strap leafe in broad leaf plants
Occurs at low pH
- Toxicity: Chlorosis with orange color pigmentation
- Fertilizer: Sodium molybdate
F. Copper (Cu)
- Essential component of several enzymes of chlorophyll synthesis, carbohydrate
metabolism
- Deficiency: Rosette or ‘witch’s broom’
- Toxicity: Chlorosis
- Fertilizers: Copper sulfate (CuSO4)
G. Chlorine (Cl)
- Involved for photosynthetic oxygen revolution
- Deficiency: Normally not existing (Only experimentally induced)
- Toxicity: Leaf margin chlorosis, necrosis on all leaves
- Fertilizer: Never applied
(Cl- is ubiquitous!)
Molybdenum Deficiency on Poinsettia
Iron deficiency
Symptoms
- strong chlorosis at the base of the
leaves with some green netting
- deficiency starts out with
interveinal chlorosis of the
youngest leaves, evolves into an
overall chlorosis, and ends as a
totally bleached leaf
- bleached areas often develop
necrotic spots
- because iron has a low mobility,
iron deficiency symptoms appear
first on the youngest leaves
- iron deficiency is strongly
associated with calcareous soils
and anaerobic conditions, and it is
often induced by an excess of
Tomato heavy metals
Influence of the pH on the availability of nutrient
elements in organic soils
- main losses of nutrients from
agricultural systems due to leaching
that carries dissolved ions, especially
nitrate, away with drainage water

- in acid soils, leaching may be

decreased by the addition of lime –
a mix of CaO, CaCO3 and Ca(OH)2 –
to make the soil more alkaline,
because many elements form less-
soluble compounds when the pH is
higher than 6

- width of the shaded areas in the graph

indicates the degree of nutrient
availability to the plant root
1. Bagaimana cara
senyawa esensial
diserap dan
didistribusikan dalam
tumbuhan?
Arabidopsis
2. Bagaimana caranya sel
tumbuhan mengontrol
pergerakan ion dan
air?

3. Bagaimana caranya
tumbuhan bertahan
terhadap kelebihan
ion atau logam toksik?

4. Bagaimana caranya
sel-sel tumbuhan
berkomunikasi satu
dengan lainnya?
 Ion uptake and transport in the plant

• Except C,H and O, plants acquire all

other elements as inorganic ions ,
even C : carbonat or bicarbonat ion
• Not all the ions in the soil are totally
free in the soil solution
– Inorganic clay particles
– Organic particles (humus)

• The region of most active ion uptake

by roots is the young region of roots
behind the apical meristem and root
hair region
 Transport
…molecular and ionic movement from one
location to another
How are essential nutrients taken up by the plant and
distributed in the plant?
1. Phospholipid bilayer serves as a barrier (semi-permeable membrane)

2. Transport proteins catalyze transport of nutrients and metabolites as

enzymes catalyze chemical reactions; 3 classes of transport proteins
Channels
Carriers
Pumps

3. Transport can be active or passive

passive and active transport of ions results in an electric potential
difference across membranes
 Biological membranes are barriers to ions
High permeability
Artificial Biological
membrane membrane
Permeability O2
O2 [cm s-1]
CO2 H2O, CO2
10-2
H2O
10-4
Glycerol Glycerol
10 -6
K+
10-8 Na+
Cl-
K+, Na+, Cl- 10-10

Low permeability
 Adsorption, absorption and accumulation
• Adsoption of the cations to the cell wall

• H+ ions moving out of the cell by action of proton pumps

• H+ are then accessible to be exchanged for soil solution

cations

• Absorbtion through the plasma membrane

• Accumulation : when the ions are taken up to a greater

concentration inside the plasma membrane than outside
• Adsorption : attraction outside the plasma
membrane
• Absorption : actual entry into the cell to the
inside of plasma membrane
Channels, Carriers and Pumps mediate the transport
of solutes across membranes
 Major Transport Proteins in Plants

1. Ion pumps: H+-pumping ATPases

2. Channels allow rapid, passive transport of ions and

metabolites

3. Aquaporins (water channels) transport water

4. H+-coupled co-transport is necessary for the transport

of many nutrients and metabolites (active transport;
energy from H+-gradient is used to drive “uphill”
movement of nutrients)
 Transport can be active or passive
Passive transport: movement down (downhill) an electro-
chemical gradient
Active transport: movement against (uphill) an electro-
chemical gradient
What is an electrochemical gradient? How is it formed?
Passive and active transport of ions result in an electric potential difference
across membranes.
Movement of an uncharged molecule is dependent on the concentration
gradient alone
Movement of an ion depends on the electric gradient and the concentration
gradient
Primary vs. Secondary active transport

What is the driving force for uphill movement?

ATP or H+ electrochemical gradient
Special techniques are used in nutritional studies
- roots immersed in nutrient
solution
- large volume of nutrient
solution and adjustment
required
- oxygen supply, bubbling

- roots receive ample supply of

oxygen
Special techniques are used in nutritional studies
- roots suspended in air while
being sprayed continuously
with a nutrient solution
- easy manipulation of
gaseous environment
- requires larger amounts of
nutrients vs. hydroponics

- roots are periodically

immersed in nutrient
solution
- requires higher levels of
nutrients vs. hydroponics
 The Role of Chelators in nutrient solution
Problem with nutrient
solutions is maintaining the
availability of iron due to
precipitation of iron out of
the solution.
Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)
Add chelators that form
complexes with cations
(Fe, Ca) in which cation is
held by ionic forces rather
than covalent bonds.

Chelated ions remain

physically available for the
plant.

DTPA chelated to an Fe3+ ion that binds

through N atoms and three ionized O atoms;
Resulting ring structure clamps the Fe
 Mineral deficiencies disrupt
plant metabolism and function
Inadequate supply of an essential element results in nutritional
disorder manifested by characteristic deficiency symptoms

Group 1: Deficiencies in mineral nutrients that are part of

carbon compounds (N, S)
Group 2: Deficiencies in mineral nutrients that are important in
energy storage or structural integrity (P, Si, B)
Group 3: Deficiencies in mineral nutrients that remain in ionic
form (K, Ca, Mg, Cl, Mn, Na)
Group 4: Deficiencies in mineral nutrients that are involved in
redox reactions (Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mo)

For more examples on nutrient deficiencies, please visit

http://3e.plantphys.net/article.php?ch=t&id=289
 Treating nutritional deficiencies

• Inorganic fertilizer…
– Straight fertilizer…Super phosphate,
ammonium nitrate
– Compound fertilizer (i.e. contain two or more
mineral nutrients)

• Organic fertilizer
– Residues of plants and animals
– Mineralization (organic compounds broken
down by microorganisms)
 Foliar application of fertilizers

• Uptake is faster
• Deficiency can be prevented
• Not tied up in soils (Fe, Mn and Cu)
• Expensive
• Vineyards
Plants develop extensive root systems

Wheat
Fibrous Root System

Tap Root System

Different areas of the root absorb different mineral ions
- depends on plant species

- Fe is taken up either at apical

region (barley) or over entire
root surface (corn)

- K, NO3¯, NH4+, P absorbed at

all locations of root

- root hairs are most active

in P absorption

- strong demand of nutrients in

apical region (cell elongation)
Root infected with ectotrophic mycorrhizal fungi
Example: only
tree species;
gymnosperms
and woody
angiosperms

- fungal hyphae surround the

root to produce a dense
fungal sheath and pene-
trate the intercelluar spaces
of the cortex to form the
Hartig net
- total mass of fungal hyphae
may be comparable to the
root mass itself
 Association of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
to promote P acquisition
Example:
Alfalfa - fungal hyphae grow into
the intercellular wall
spaces of the cortex and
penetrate individual
cortical cells

- plasma membrane or
tonoplast of host cell does
not break

- instead, the hypha is

surrounded by these
membranes and forms
arbuscules, which partici-
pate in nutrient ion ex-
change between the host
plant and the fungus
 Nutrition - Summary
- macro- dan micronutrients essential (penting ) untuk
kehidupan tanaman
- Kekurangan nutrient berakibat fatal karena nutrien berperan
dalam penyimpanann energi, struktur tanaman, kofaktor
enzim, reaksi transport elektron
- mineral nutrition can be
studied through the use of solution
culture
- to prevent development of deficiencies, nutrients may be
added back to the soil/plant through fertilizers
- size of soil particles and cation exchange capacity determine
the reservoir for water and nutrients
- soil pH affects availability of mineral elements to plants
- plants develop extensive root system to obtain nutrients
- plant roots form associations with mycorrhizal fungi
- hyphae facilitate the acquisition of mineral elements (P)
- in return, plants provide carbohydrates to mycorrhizae