Essential Plant Nutrients
Essential Plant Nutrients Plants need food for their growth and development like other living thing. Humans and animals depend on plants for their food from natural raw material. Seventeen elements have been found to be indispensable for plant growth, development & reproduction. Criteria of Essentiality An element should meet following three criteria to be termed as an essential nutrient: · Plant is unable to complete vegetative or reproductive stage of its life without that element. · The need of such a nutrient is specific and its deficiency symptoms can be corrected by supplying only the same nutrient. · The nutrient plays a direct role in plants active process and meets its nutritional needs. Essential nutrients can be divided into two macro and micro nutrients depending upon their requirements. Macro Nutrients Macro nutrients are required in relatively larger quantity by plants. Their concentration