Nutrients

1. Nutrients How soil affects plant growth: Deficiencies and Symptoms

2. What is a nutrient? • A nutrient is any element or compound necessary for or contributing to an organism's metabolism, growth, or other functioning.

4. Nutrients for Plants vs. Others • Animals are consumers on the food web. • Complex substances: • Vitamins, Protein, Sugars/Carbohydrates, Fats • Simple substances • Water, Minerals • Can only make some nutrients. • Must eat organisms that have them.

5. Nutrients for Plants vs. Others • Fungi and some bacteria are decomposers on the food web. • Complex substances: • Vitamins, Protein, Sugars/Carbohydrates, Fats • Simple substances • Water, Minerals • Break apart complex organisms that have these (decay). • Sometimes do not make many of these.

6. Nutrients for Plants vs. Others • Plants are producers on the food web. • Plants make all of their own sugars, vitamins, proteins and fats. • Only need simple substances!!! • Water • Minerals • Must get these from the soil or air

8. How do plants take up minerals? • Small, simple molecules absorbable by roots --OR-- • Fungi/Plant relationship • Fungus can absorb larger molecules and transport them to the plant roots • Plant gives the fungus sugar in exchange

12. Nutrient Deficiencies and Symptoms Macronutrients: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S Plants need a lot of these in the soil.

13. Nitrogen Deficiency • Involved in tissues, proteins and growth • Yellowing of older leaves • New growth may still be green • Lack of growth

14. Nitrogen Deficiency Enough Nitrogen Nitrogen Deficient

15. Nitrogen deficiency

16. Phosphorus Deficiency • Involved in tissues and cell “pumps” • Purple or red in leaves, esp. older leaves • Stunted growth, especially roots

17. Phosphorus Deficiency Purpling of leaves

18. Phosphorus Deficiency Purpling of leaves

19. Potassium Deficiency • Involved in tissues, osmosis • Weak stems • Brown spots on leaves, esp. older leaves • Few or no fruits develop

20. Potassium Deficiency Leaves with brown patches at edges and between veins

21. Potassium Deficiency Leaves with brown patches at edges and between veins

22. Potassium Deficiency Leaves with brown patches at edges and between veins

23. Calcium Deficiency • Yellowing on younger leaves first • New growth and growth tips die • Leaf edges curl (and may die) • Leaf edges become ragged

24. Calcium Deficiency Leaves curled, ragged edges, new growth dies first

25. Magnesium Deficiency • Yellowing new veins (not edges) • Browning of leaves near veins • Magnesium is used in making the green chlorophyll molecule (without which the plant can’t live!)

26. Magnesium Deficiency Leaves yellow and brown in the center, near the vein

27. Magnesium Deficiency Leaves yellow and brown in the center, near the vein

28. Sulfur deficiency • Yellowing of entire plant • Thin stems

29. Sulfur deficiency

30. Sulfur deficiency

31. Deficiencies and Symptoms Micronutrients: Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, Cl, Co Plants some, but not a lot, of these in the soil. (NO NEED TO TAKE NOTES ON THESE!)

32. Iron Deficiency • Yellowing of veins • Larger veins may stay green • Browning of leaf tips • Mottling of leaves (spotting of yellow or brown between veins)

33. Iron Deficiency Browning/Yellowing of veins and between veins

34. Iron deficiency

35. Manganese Deficiency • Marbling of leaves (blotchy green and yellow pattern) • Yellowing between veins • Brown spots on leaves

36. Manganese Deficiency Yellowing and yellow-green marbling between veins, some browning

37. Manganese Deficiency Yellowing and yellow-green marbling between veins, some browning

38. Boron Deficiency • Browning of stems • Fruit and flowers may abort • Yellowing of younger leaves

39. Boron Deficiency Stems cracking or rotting

40. Maybe it’s not a deficiency… • It could be a pest (insect, nematode, etc.) • It could be a disease • Virus • Bacterial • It could chemical damage (fertilizer or pesticide burns) • It could be poor watering

41. Maybe it’s not a deficiency… Chemical Burn Insect Damage Virus Virus

42. Are you ready to QUIZ yourself?

43. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”

44. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”

45. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”

46. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”

47. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”

48. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”

49. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”

50. What is the nutrient deficiency? N P K Ca Mg S “Other”