Answer to Question #103360 in Chemistry for Riya

Question

What are essential plant nutrients? Explain nutrient availability in soils.

Answer 1

Plant nutrients comprise minerals and compounds required for normal growth. These substances include macronutrients (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, potassium, magnesium) and micronutrients (chlorine, iron, manganese, zinc, boron, copper, etc.). Oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon are derived from air and water. In particular, hydrogen is absorbed by plants in the form of water from the soil, carbon derives from the air (carbon dioxide) whereas oxygen is used by the plant as water or carbon dioxide. However, most of the nutrients are absorbed by the plant from the soil in the form of dissolved minerals. These compounds produce ions (cations and anions) that are transported to the plant root with water. For example, nitrogen is present in the soil in the form of NO₃^- or NH₄⁺ ions, while phosphorus is available as H₂PO₄^- ion. Metals do not form complex ions and are absorbed as cations (K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, etc.).