Nutrients for Plants

HELIFE
TFPLANTS
O Understanding
their amazing
behaviour
WHA TIS
a plant?
A plant is a living
organism that:
produces its own food, acts
as a source of nutrition for
other life forms, and is the
only source of oxygen in
nature.
WH ICHARE
the parts
of a plant?
Each part has a specific job
in order to keep the plant healthy:
Leaves Perform photosynthesis
Stem Supports the plant
Roots Absorb water and minerals

HATD OES
W
a plant need
to grow?
SUNLIGHT
Plants require sunlight as
their energy source for
photosynthesis, a process
which converts carbon
dioxide and water into
glucose.
AIR
Plants need oxygen to make
food and to have energy.
Plants cells release their
own energy by breaking down
sugars and using up oxygen.
SOIL
Soil holds the plants
up. Roots grow down
into the soil. Soil
provides nutrients and
water.
WATER
Water helps move nutrients
from the soil into the plant.
Too much water can cause a
plant’s roots to rot. Too
little water can cause a
plant to wilt or droop.
NUTRIENTS
Plants need nutrients in order
to germinate, grow, fight off
pests and reproduce.
THE NUTRIENT CYCLE
In nature, plants obtain most of their
needed nutrients from the soil.
Nutrients occur naturally in the soil as a
byproduct of the decomposition of organic
matter, or in some cases they are
released through the weathering process
of parent rock. After being taken up by
the roots, nutrients are then transported
to the rest of the plant where they are
needed. However, plants need help to
access the nutrients.
Just like the living organisms above the ground, life underground also
comprises a very intricate food web that includes both “producers” and
“consumers” and results in the recycling of nutrients that plants need. In a
simplified overview:
1. Plant roots give off substances called exudates that consist of
carbohydrates produced by the plant through the process of photosynthesis.
2. These exudates become food for microscopic bacteria and fungi in the
soil.
3. These tiny organisms are consumed by slightly larger life forms (although
in most cases still too small to see with the naked eye), such as nematodes,
protozoa, and some arthropods.
4. These organisms are eaten in turn by larger creatures that can be seen
without a microscope, such as larger arthropods (like millipedes and sow
bugs) and earthworms.
5. Finally, near the top of the web, small soil creatures become a buffet for
even larger animals, such as moles.
Mineral nutrients occur in the soil in both dissolved and
bound form. Only a small fraction (less than 0.2%) of the
mineral nutrient supply is dissolved in soil water. Most of
the remainder, i.e., almost 98% is either bound in organic
detritus, humus and relatively insoluble inorganic
compounds or incorporated in minerals.
These constitute a nutrient reserve, which becomes
available very slowly as a result of weathering and
mineralization of humus. The remaining 2% is adsorbed on
soil colloids.
The soil solution, the soil colloids and the reserves of
mineral substances in the soil are in a state of dynamic
equilibrium, which ensures continued replenishment of
supplies of nutrient elements
NUTRIENTS: THE BIG THREE
Although plants need all of the
macronutrients and micronutrients
listed above for optimum growth,
scientists have identified three that
are needed in larger quantities. three
are often limiting factors for plant
growth and are more likely to be
missing from soil, especially in a garden
setting. The big three plant nutrients
are nitrogen, potassium, and
phosphorus
Nitrogen is needed for the plant to make a number of
essential c compounds, including chlorophyll. A plant
that does not have enough nitrogen will look weak and
have light green to yellow older leaves.
Phosphorus plays an important role in helping plants

make flowers, fruits, and seeds. If a plant does not
have enough phosphorus, it may have small, purple-
tinged leaves, and will develop few fruits.
Potassium impacts how well water can move around a
plant and the opening and closing of the stomata.
Common signs of potassium deficiency include
stunted growth and yellowing or browning of leaf
margins and weakened stems
PLANTS
AND PEOPLE
Plants are crucial for human
survival, providing nutrition,
warmth, medicine, clothing,
shelter, and the air we
breathe.
L LYO UNEED
A ISP TS
LAN

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HELIFE

Leaves Perform photosynthesis

Stem Supports the plant

Roots Absorb water and minerals

Phosphorus plays an important role in helping plants

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