Types of minerals on the basis of essentiality
- The minerals are of two types, essential and non-essential.
- Only about 17-20 elements are found to be essential. The rest elements are called non-essential without which a plant can survive and reproduce.
- The non-essential elements may be beneficial or toxic.
- The essential elements are differentiated into two categories, macroelements and microelements.
Macronutrients
- Nutrients which are required in large quantities are called as macronutrients.
- Primary (macro) nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They are the most frequently required in a crop fertilization program. Also, they are need in the greatest total quantity by plants as fertilizer.
Micronutrients
- Nutrient which are required in small quantities are called as micronutrients.
- The micronutrients are boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc.
- These plant food elements are used in very small amounts, but
they are just as important to plant development and profitable crop production as the major nutrients.
Soil as reservoir of essential elements
- Soils are derived from rock by processes of weathering.
- Bulk of materials that are essential for the growth and development of plant become available to roots due to weathering and breakdown of rocks.
- These processes augment the soil with dissolved ions and inorganic salts.
- Soil not only supplies minerals but also harbours nitrogen fixing bacteria, other microbes, hold water, supplies air to the roots and acts as matrix that stabilizes the plant.
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