a) Nitrogen

b) Magnesium
c) Sulphur
 the stock solution supplies those elements
required in large amounts for plant growth
and development
 Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium,

magnesium, calcium and sulphur are

usually regarded as macronutrients
a) Nitrogen gas comprises about 78% of the earth's
atmosphere
b) Also found in various forms. found in rocks, soils,
sediment, oceans, and living matter.
- Organic form :
• Amino acids
• Protein
• more resistant N compounds (ultimately,
humus)
- Inorganic form :
• ammonium (NH4+)
• ammonia (NH3)
• nitrate (NO3-)
• nitrite (NO2-)
 Plant obtain N from the surrounding soil and
water
 Nitrogen considered as one of the most

important plant nutrient

 essential component of the proteins that
build cell material and plant tissue
 necessary for the function of other essential

biochemical agents such as :

a) Chlorophyll (an integral part of chlorophyll )
b) many enzymes
c) nucleic acids – DNA & RNA
 Important in determining plant growth and
crop yield
nitrogen
 Promotes rapid growth
 increases leaf size and quality
 hastens crop maturity, and promotes fruit

and seed development

 Too much or too little amount of nitrogen
can cause problem
 Problem caused can extend to plants,

animals, human and environment

 Too little:
Show nitrogen deficiency
 Too much:
can produce weak stems in grain crops (lodging)
reduce quality in fruit
lower sugar content in sugar beets
excessive vegetative growth
delays maturity
increases lodging
fosters disease,
poses an environmental threat to surface and ground
water
 slow stunted growth
 yellowish leaves (pale green)
 Symptoms generally appear on the bottom leaves
first
 The older leaves, will first turn yellowish-green
and then possibly yellow, red or purple
 The newer growth, will show signs of being
deficient in nitrogen by turning slightly yellowish-
green as well
 In severe cases, leaves have a “fired”
appearance on the tips, turn brown, usually
disintegrate, and fall off
 In leafy crops :
◦ low yield and quality
◦ exhibit yellow leaf tips, stunted growth with
spindly stalks, and low yields of poor quality grain

 How to fix the problem?

◦ can be corrected with an application of nitrogen
fertilizer
 Slow plant
growth

New leaves turn

yellowish green

Older leaves
turn yellowish-
 Have 5 steps:
1) Nitrogen fixation
2) Nitrification
3) Assimilation
4) Ammonification
5) Denitrification
1
3
5

4 2
 N2 enters eco through 3 pathways:
◦ Atmospheric fixation
◦ Biological N2 fixation
N2 NH3
◦ Industrial N2 fixation
 Atmospheric fixation and industrial fixation
fix N2 into nitrate
N2 NO3-
 Conversation of ammonia (NH3) or
ammonium (NH4+) to nitrites (NO2-) and
nitrates (NO3-)
 Involve the role of nitrifying bacteria
 Nitrosomonas & nitrobacter

Ammonia (NH3) or ammonium (NH4+)

nitrosomon
as
Nitrites (NO2-)
nitrobacte
Nitrates r 3-)
(NO
 Absorption of ammonia, ammonium or
nitrate by roots
◦ Incorporate the N2 into protein, nucleic acids and
chlorophyll
 When animals consume plants tissues
◦ Assimilate N2 by taking in plant N2 compound and
converting them into animal N2 compound
 Conversation or organic N2 compound into
ammonia (NH3) or ammonium (NH4+)
 Begins when excretion (urea) and nitrogen
compound in dead organisms are
decomposed
 Releasing the N into the abiotic
2
environment as ammonia or ammonium
 The ammonia and ammonium produced are

available for nitrification and assimilation

 The reduction of nitrates (NO3-) to gaseous
N2
 Denitrifying bac (pseudomonas dinitrificans)
reverse the action of nitrogen-fixing &
nitrifying bac
◦ Return N2 to atmosphere
 Magnesium
nesium is essential for many plant functions. Some of them
osynthesis: Mg is the central element of the chlorophyll molecule
ier of Phosphorus in the plant
nesium is both an enzyme activator and a constituent of many enzymes
ar synthesis
ch translocation
t oil and fat formation
ient uptake control
ease Iron utilization

Plant tissue culture

•Enzyme cofactor
•Component of chlorophyll
Component of chlorophyll

In photosynthetic organisms Mg2+ has

the additional vital role of being the
coordinating ion in the chlorophyll
molecule.
Enzyme cofactor

Magnesium is important in the

production of ATP through its
role as an enzyme cofactor,
 Two major classes of the enzymes that interact
with Mg2+ in the stroma during the light phase

zymes in the glycolytic pathway most often interact with two atoms of M

first atom is as an allosteric modulator of the enzymes' activity

second atom is forms part of the active site and is directly involved in the cataly
reaction

zymes include those where the Mg2+ is complexed to nucleotide di- and
i-phosphates (ADP and ATP) and the chemical change involves phosphor
ansfer.
Sulfur are required in smaller amount than the
primary nutrients.
Primary nutrients are Nitrogen (N),
Phosphorus(P), and Potassium (K)
Sulfur is available in fertilizers such as
Potassium and Magnesium Sulfate, gypsum(
calcium sulfate) and elemental sulfur.
Can be found from soil,lime and commercial
fertilizers.
Added continually by rainfall and release from
the soil organic matter
It is estimate that some 10 to 20 pounds of
sulfur per acre may be deposited anually in
precipitation.
Sulfur is an essential mineral nutrients,
althought it is often overshadowed by nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium.
Because of its central role in soil condition,
plant growth and nutrition, understanding how
plants utilize sulfur is critical for optimizing crop
yield and quality.
Moreover, sulfur incorporated into methionine
and cysteine in plants directly impacts the
nutrional value of human food and livestock
feeds.
Sulfur involved in formation of nodules and
chlorophyll synthesis, structural component of
 SULFUR’S ROLE

Sulfur is an essential component in

the synthesis of amino acids
required to manufacture proteins.
Sulfur is also required for production
of chlorophyll and utilization of
phosphorus and other essential
nutrients.
Sulfur ranks equal to nitrogen for
optimizing crop yield and quality.
Crops that have a high nitrogen
requirement must have adequate
sulfur to optimize nitrogen
utilization.

Sulfur increases yield and protein

quality of forage and grain crops
along with production and quality of
fiber crops.
Sulfur deficiency is characterized by stunted
growth, delayed maturity, and general
yellowing of plants. Then, the plants become
small and spindly. There is retarded growth
rate and delayed maturity.

Yellowed plants are also characteristic of

nitrogen deficiency.

However, unlike nitrogen deficiency which

begins in the older leaves and progresses up
the plant, sulfur deficiency symptoms begin in
the young, upper leaves first.
In many crops, an acute sulfur deficiency
causes the entire plant to turn yellow.
In crops like corn and small grains, however,
yellow stripes that run parallel to the leaf
blade are common.
Sulfur deficiency is most frequently observed
on very sandy soils with a low organic matter
content during seasons of excessive rainfall.
Fertilizers that provide sulfur include
potassium sulfate (18% S), potassium-
magnesium sulfate (23% S),magnesium
sulfate (14% S), gypsum (16.8% S),
ammonium sulfate (23.7% S), and elemental
sulfur (90% S).
Under most soil and climatic conditions, 15 to
For crops that have a high nitrogen
requirement (corn, small grains, tobacco, and
cotton) and are grown on sandy soils, sulfur
can be applied at planting or along with post-
plant nitrogen applications.
Sulfur is a necessary constituent in several
amino acids and proteins. Since these are
building blocks in the plant, Sulfur becomes
fixed into the plant's structure. Therefore, the
classic symptom of deficiency is a paleness of
the younger foliage. However, many times all
of the foliage has a pale green color, and the
difference in "paleness" between the older
and younger foliage is not easily noticed. This
 CORN

APPLES
 Sulfur is essential for many plant functions. Some of
them are

A structural component of protein and peptides

Active in the conversion of inorganic N into protein
A catalyst in chlorophyll production
Promotes nodule formation in legumes
A structural component of various enzymes
A structural component of the compounds that give
the characteristic odors and flavors to mustard,
onion and garlic
Also may acidity the soil which is lowering the pH