NEET Botany Mineral Nutrition Chapter Notes

Mineral Nutrition Concept Notes for Full Course: Mineral Nutrition

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Learning Objectives:- 
 
The learner will be able to,
• Recognise the need of mineral nutrition.
• Analyse the classification and criteria for essential minerals.
• Learn the techniques of Hydroponics and Aeroponics.
• Correlate different types of special modes of nutrition.
• Ability to recall and analyse nitrogen fixation.
 
Chapter Outline 
 
12.1 Classification of Minerals
12.2 Functions, mode of absorption, deficiency symptoms of Macronutrients
12.3 Functions, mode of absorption and deficiency symptoms of Micronutrients
12.4 Deficiency Diseases and symptoms
12.5 Critical Concentration and Toxicity of minerals
12.6 Hydroponics and Aeroponics
12.7 Nitrogen Fixation
12.8 Nitrogen Cycle and Nitrogen Metabolism
12.9 Special Modes of Nutrition
 
 
NEET Botany Mineral Nutrition Chapter Notes
 
A new solution has come up for high nutrient pollution and eutrophication in surface waters. Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) offer promising solution and it is a built structure which measures around 3,000 sq.ft and comprises four layers: floatable bamboo at base, styrofoam second layer, a third layer of gunny bags with gravels and final layer to support cleaning agents (plants). Native plants including Vetivers, Citronella, Tulsi and Withania are being researched for use as cleaning agents. FTW works
on the principle of Hydroponics which is explained in this chapter. Microbes grown on the roots of these plants break down and consume organic matter in water and reduce pollution.
 
As a traveller you would have got a chance to observe the plants. It is an interesting fact that all plants are not unique. Just spend some time to listen to nature. You can notice plants with attractive leaves, flowers and fruits.
 
Can you say all plants are healthy and uniform in growth? Some plants are not healthy and show symptoms like texture changes, stunted growth, chlorosis, necrosis and so on. Can you tell what is the reason for all these symptoms? It may be due to infection of microbial pathogens or climatic factors or due to mineral deficiency.
 
In this chapter we are going to learn about classification of minerals, their functions, deficiency diseases and symptoms, nitrogen metabolism and special modes of nutrition. Further, how can these ideas help us to improve productivity in agriculture?
 
Plants naturally obtain nutrients from atmosphere, water and soil. Carbon,hydrogen and oxygen are called as skeletal elements and constitute about 94% of dry weight. These elements play an important role in the formation of organic
compounds such as carbohydrates, fats and protein. These non-mineral elements are obtained from air and water. Minerals are classified based on essentiality. Arnon and Stout (1939) gave criteria required for essential minerals:
 
1. Elements necessary for growth and development.
2. They should have direct role in the metabolism of the plant.
3. It cannot be replaced by other elements.
4. Deficiency makes the plants impossible to complete their vegetative and reproductive phase.
 
12.1 Classification of minerals
 
12.1.1 Classification of minerals based on their quantity
 
Essential elements are classified as Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Unclassified minerals based on their requirements. Essential minerals which are required in higher concentration are called Macronutrients. Essential minerals which are required in less concentration called are as Micronutrients.
 
Minerals like Sodium, Silicon, Cobalt and Selenium are not included in the list
 
Historical events in mineral nutrition
 
Van Helmont (1648) – made first observation of mineral nutrition,noticed over a period of 5 years soil lost only 56 g in nourishing a seedling into tree. Increase in organic substance comes from water alone.
 
Wood word (1699) – Soil provides mineral nutrients required for their growth.
 
De Saussure (1804) – plant growth depends on nitrogen and other elements absorbed by roots from soil.
 
Liebig (1840) – gave the “law of minimum” which states that productivity of soil depends on amount of essential elements present in minimum quantity.
 
Julius Von Sachs (1860) – Demonstrated growing a plant in a defined nutrient solution.
 
William Frederick Goerick (1940) – Gave the term Hydroponics and commercial technique.
 
NEET-Botany-Mineral-Nutrition-Chapter-Notes 1
 
of essential nutrients but are required by some plants, these minerals are placed in the list of unclassified minerals. These minerals play specific roles for example, Silicon is essential for pest resistance, prevent water lodging and aids cell wall formation in Equisetaceae (Equisetum), Cyperaceae and Gramineae (Table 12. 1).
 
12.1.2 Classification of minerals based on mobility
 
If you observe where the deficiency symptoms appear first, you can notice differences in old and younger leaves. It is mainly due to mobility of minerals. Based on this, they are classified into 1. Actively
NEET-Botany-Mineral-Nutrition-Chapter-Notes 2
mobile minerals and 2. Relatively immobile minerals (Figure 12.1).
 
a. Actively mobile minerals
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium,Magnesium, Chlorine, Sodium, Zinc and Molybdenum.
 
Deficiency symptoms first appear on old and senescent leaves due to active movement of minerals to younger leaves.
 
b. Relatively immobile minerals
Calcium, Sulphur, Iron, Boron and Copper shows deficiency symptoms first that appear on young leaves due to the immobile nature of minerals
 
12.1.3 Classification of minerals based on their functions
 
a. Structural component minerals: Minerals like Carbon, Hydrogen,Oxygen and Nitrogen
 
b. Enzyme function: Molybdenum (Mo) is essential for nitrogenase enzyme
during reduction of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia. Zinc (Zn) is an important activator for alcohol dehydrogenase and carbonic anhydrase. Magnesium (Mg) is the activator for RUBP carboxylaseoxygenase and PEP carboxylase.
Nickel (Ni) is a constituent of urease and hydrogenase.
 
c. Osmotic Potential: Potassium (K) plays a key role in maintaining osmotic potential of the cell. The absorption of water, movement of stomata and turgidity are due to osmotic potential.
 
d. Energy components: Magnesium (Mg) in chlorophyll and phosphorous (P) in ATP.
 
12.2 Functions, mode of absorption and deficiency symptoms of macronutrients
 
Macronutrients, their functions, their mode of absorption, deficiency symptoms and deficiency diseases are discussed here:
 
1. Nitrogen (N): It is required by the plants in greatest amount. It is an essential component of proteins, nucleic acids, amino acids, vitamins, hormones, alkaloids, chlorophyll and cytochrome. It is absorbed by the
plants as nitrates (NO3).Deficiency symptoms: Chlorosis, stunted growth, anthocyanin formation.
 
2. Phosphorus (P): Constituent of cell membrane, proteins, nucleic acids, ATP, NADP, phytin and sugar phosphate. It is absorbed as H2PO4 + and HPO4 - ions.Deficiency symptoms: Stunted growth, anthocyanin formation, necrosis, inhibition of cambial activity, affect root growth and fruit ripening.
 
3. Potassium (K): Maintains turgidity and osmotic potential of the cell, opening and closure of stomata, phloem translocation, stimulate activity of enzymes, anion and cation
Deficiency symptoms: Chlorosis,anthocyanin formation, stunted growth, rolling of leaf tip and reduced nodulation in legumes.
 

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