Essential Elements And Deficiency.docx

ESSENTIAL ELEMENT 1. Nitrogen

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2. Potassium

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3. Calcium

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FUNCTION Associated with plant cell components (Amino acids and nucleic acids) Organic nitrogen compounds: Amides, Betaine, peptides)

Most abundant cation in the cytoplasm Uptake is highly selective and coupled with metabolic activity Used for secondary messaging and osmoregulation (stomates, closing of proteins to prevent influx of ions ex. Chlorine) Stabilizes pH (7-8) Stimulates enzyme activation (e.g starch synthase) Involved in cell division Provides cell wall rigidity Prevents hypocotyl collapse (no hook formation) Stabilize cell membrane (prevent solutes from leaking out)

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOM  Stunted growth  Chlorosis in older leaves (1st symptom)  Produces tons of carbohydrates leading to woody and slender stem  Plants tap the carbs due to fast production to prevent toxicity and forms anthocyanin  Mottled or marginal chlorosis (1st symptom)  Followed by necrosis  Curling and crinkling of leaves  Slender and weak stem

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Necrosis of tips and leaf margins (once cell rigidity is compromised the cell dies, leaking of nutrients) Necrosis of terminal buds (severe stunting may result from premature death of the meristematic regions) Root system is highly branched, short, and brownish (slimy) Increase leakage in solutes Regulation of phytochrome is affected (calcium is a secondary messenger, forms a complex with calmodulin

4. Magnesium

5. Phosphorus

6. Sulfur

7. Chlorine

8. Iron

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Used for the activation of enzymes (respiration, photosynthesis and synthesis of DNA and RNA)  Central atom in chlorophyll  Regulation of cellular pH  Integral component of important compounds (in phosphate form)  Components of nucleotides and ATP  Involved in carbon partitioning (TP partitioning to either sucrose or starch) *Ortho-phosphate goes in chloroplast -> TP goes out *If there is no orthophosphate, the TP won’t be able to go out  Protein and amino acid component  Directly involved in metabolic reactions as a functional group  Required of water splitting reaction in photosynthesis (Oxygen evolving complex working with PSII which helps evolve O2 from H2O to make electron go into PSII)  Stimulates ATPase in the tonoplast  Closure of stomata along with K  Chelates of Fe 3+ or Fe2+  Component of the catalytic group for enzymes involved in

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forming Ca/calmodulin complex that is needed for phytochrome formation) Interveinal chlorosis (veins are green, the rest of the leaf is yellow) Inhibition of root growth because of inhibition in phloem loading

Stunted growth Dark green coloration of the leaves (chlorophyll increases in number) Malformed leaves with necrotic spots (old leaves will not change shape) Dark-greenish purple coloration Slender stems (not woody, decrease in development) Death of older leaves Chlorosis and stunted growth Accumulation of anthocyanin Wilting of leaf tips Bronzing of leaves (has a metallic look) Stunted roots with thickening near tips

Decrease in chlorophyll and B-carotene Increase in xanthophylls Interveinal Chlorosis

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9. Boron

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10. Manganese

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11. Zinc

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redox (either catalytic component, activator, peroxidase, catalase) FeS proteins (ferredoxin) and heme proteins (cytochrome) Synthesis of Chlorophyll (form of amino levolinic acid) Cell wall synthesis Sugar transport Lignification Carbohydrate metabolism Membrane integrity Pollen tube growth

Activation of enzymes (decarboxylase and dehydrogenase) Part of OEC of PSII Involved in biosynthesis of fatty acids and carotenoids Integral component in a large number of enzymes Involved in gene regulation Structural component of ribosome (protein will not produced)

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12. Copper

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Linked with enzymes involved in redox reactions (no catalytic function but is a structural component)

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Black necrosis (young leaves and terminal buds) presence of soot Stubby and bushy roots Loss of apical dominance (profuse branching) IAA concentration defuses Water-soaked areas (heads of vegetables) Heart-rot (storage root) Interveinal chlorosis Greenish-gray spot (basal leaves of cereals ) Brown speckles precede by callose (toxic) (nonnecrotic most of the time) Protein decrease; amino acid decrease Increase membrane permeability (solute leakage) Promotes rosette growth habit (reduced internode growth) Leaves are small and distorted (insufficient prod of IAA) Inhibition of root growth and photosynthesis (toxicity) Interveinal chlorosis Dark-green leaves Necrotic spots (tips) Premature loss of leaves Distortion of leaves Bending and twisting of stem and twigs

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13. Molybdenum

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  14. Nickel

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Cofactor of enzyme directly involved in redox reactions (nitrate reductase, nitrogenase, sulfite oxidase) Nitrogenase helps convert nitrogen to assimilable form Both catalytic and structural role Chemically related to iron and cobalt Forms stable complexes with cysteine and citrate Component urease Metal component of enzymes

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Low carbohydrates contents Inhibit root growth General chlorosis Necrosis of older leaves Whiptail disease (twisted leaves dies) Can cause N deficiency

Leaf tip necrosis (without chlorosis) Sever inhibition of root growth