Module 2:


Basic Facts on Soil Fertility

and Plant Nutrition
Organic Fertilizer Production
Objectives
Plant Nutrition

Nutrition
! also called nourishment or aliment
! is the provision of the materials necessary (in the form
of food) to cells and organisms to support life.
Plant Nutrition
! is the study of the chemical elements that are
necessary for plant growth
! nutrients are moved inside a plant to where they are
most needed
Comparison Between Chemical
Farming and Organic Farming

Synthetic Farming Organic Farming

Farming method to obtain Farming method to obtain
food by means of culture food by means of culture
that INCLUDES the use of that protect the
synthetic pesticides and environment
fertilizers and EXCLUDES the use of
pesticides and synthetic
fertilizers
Plant Nutrient Management

Three Primary Macronutrients

1. Nitrogen
2. Phosphorous
3. Potassium
Plant Macronutrients

Nitrogen
! is necessary for cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is
the process of generating energy-rich adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) via the consumption of sugars made
in photosynthesis.
! deficiency most often results in stunted growth, slow
growth, and chlorsis. Nitrogen deficient plants will also
exhibit a purple appearance on the stems, petioles
and underside of leaves from an accumulation of
anthocyanin pigments
Plant Macronutrients

Phosphorus
! can also be used to modify the activity of various
enzymes by phosphorylation, and can be used for cell
signalling. Since ATP can be used for the biosynthesis of
many plant biomolecules, phosphorus is important for
plant growth and flower/seed formation

Phosphorylation (and dephosphorylation), are critical for

many cellular processes. Phosphorylation is especially
important for protein function as this modification activates
(or deactivates) almost half of the enzymes, thereby
regulating their function
Plant Macronutrients

Potassium
! regulates the opening and closing of the stomata by a
potassium ion pump. Since stomata are important in
water regulation, potassium reduces water loss from
the leaves and increases drought tolerance. Serves as
an activator of enzymes used in photosynthesis and
respiration
Plant Macronutrients

Three Secondary Macronutrients

1. Calcium (Ca)
2. Sulphur (S)
3. Magnesium (Mg)
Plant Macronutrients

Calcium
! regulates transport of other nutrients into the plant and is
also involved in the activation of certain plant enzymes.
Calcium deficiency results in stunting
Sulphur
! is a structural component of some amino acids and
vitamins, and is essential in the manufacturing of
chloroplasts
Magnesium
! is an important part of chlorophyll, a critical plant
pigment important in photosynthesis
Plant Nutrient Management

Ten Micronutrients or Trace

Minerals
1. boron (B)
2. chlorine (Cl)
! An element present at a low
3. manganese (Mn) level may cause deficiency
symptoms
4. iron (Fe)
5. zinc (Zn)
! the same element at a higher
6. copper (Cu) level may cause toxicity
7. molybdenum (Mo)
8. nickel (Ni)
9. selenium (Se)
10. sodium (Na)
Boron
! Ensure good shoot growth, flowering, fruit setting, good
skin finish, even ripening and aid in calcium mobility
Chlorine
! necessary for osmosis and it also plays a role in
photosynthesis
Manganese
! necessary for building the chloroplasts. Manganese
deficiency may result in coloration abnormalities, such
as discolored spots on the foliage
Iron
! necessary for photosynthesis and is present as an enzyme
cofactor in plants
Zinc
! required in a large number of enzymes and plays an
essential role in DNA transcription
Copper
! important for photosynthesis. Symptoms for copper
deficiency include chlorosis. Involved in many enzyme
processes. Necessary for proper photosynthesis. Involved
in the manufacture of lignin (cell walls).
Iron
! necessary for photosynthesis and is present as an enzyme
cofactor in plants
Zinc
! required in a large number of enzymes and plays an essential
role in DNA transcription
Copper
! important for photosynthesis. Symptoms for copper deficiency
include chlorosis. Involved in many enzyme processes.
Necessary for proper photosynthesis. Involved in the
manufacture of lignin (cell walls).
Molybdenum
! a cofactor to enzymes important in building amino
acids.
Nickel
! essential for activation of urease, an enzyme involved
with nitrogen metabolism that is required to process
urea. Without Nickel, toxic levels of urea accumulate,
leading to the formation of necrotic lesions. In lower
plants, Nickel activates several enzymes involved in a
variety of processes, and can substitute for Zinc and
Iron as a cofactor in some enzymes.
Sodium
! can replace potassium's regulation of stomatal
opening and closing
Soil

! Holds up the plant

! Acts as water reservoir
! Main source of plant nutrients
Soil

Five Most Important Soil Parameters:

! Organic material content
! pH
! Electrical conductivity (EC)
! a measure of the salinity of the soil
! Cation exchange capacity (CEC)
! A measure of how soil can retain nutrients
! Sodium absorption ratio (SAR)
! A measure used to predict water infiltration problems in
the soil and soil structure problems
Soil
Loss of Soil Nutrients

! Through errosion
! Through leaching
! Conversion of nutrients to gaseous forms, such as
ammonia and nitrogen
! Removal of plant material