ALIA NAZIRA

❖ Manganese (Mn)
❖ Nickel (Ni)
❖ Boron (B)
❖ Molybdenum (Mo)

✓ Three main macronutrients (carbon,

hydrogen and oxygen) can be
obtained easily from air and water
from the soil
✓ These nutrients make up most of the
The functions of
dry mass of plants
✓ Therefore, the lack of these
macronutrients in
nutrients is rarely experienced by
plants plants
✓ The remaining nutrients are taken in
CARBON (C), OXYGEN (O), HYDROGEN (H)
the form of mineral salts which are
dissolved in the soil through ꚛ Important components in carbon
fertilisation cycle and oxygen cycle
ꚛ Components in all organic compounds
MACRONUTRIENTS
of plants and important components
➢ Carbon (C) in synthesis of sugar
➢ Calcium (ca)
NITROGEN (N)
➢ Hydrogen (H)
➢ Magnesium (Mg) Gives the green colour to plants
➢ Oxygen (O) through the formation of
➢ Phosphorus (P) chlorophyll
➢ Nitrogen (N) Main components of proteins, nucleic
➢ Sulphur (S) acids and enzymes in photosynthesis
➢ Potassium (K) and respiration

MICRONUTRIENTS POTASSIUM (K)

❖ Chlorine (Cl) ↘ Important in protein synthesis and

❖ Zinc (Zn) carbohydrate metabolism
❖ Iron (Fe) ↘ As cofactors for some enzymes
❖ Copper (Cu) ↘ Maintains plant turgidity
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ALIA NAZIRA

CALCIUM (Ca) POTASSIUM (K)

◊ Main components of middle lamellae, → Protein synthesis disrupted

cell wall and spindle fibres during cell → Edges of leaves become yellowish
division → Premature death of plants
MAGNESIUM (Mg) CALCIUM (Ca)
❑ Main component of the structure of ꚛ Stunted growth
chlorophyll molecule ꚛ Leaves become distorted and lobed
❑ Activates some plant enzymes ꚛ Parts between leaf veins become
❑ Involved in carbohydrate metabolism yellowish
PHOSPHORUS (P) MAGNESIUM (Mg)
 Synthesises nucleic acids, adenosine ◊ Parts between matured leaf veins
triphosphate (ATP) and become yellowish
phospholipids in plasma membrane ◊ Red spots on leaf surfaces
 Act as coenzymes in photosynthesis ◊ Lobed leaves
and respiration
PHOSPHORUS (P)
SULPHUR (S)
Unhealthy root growth
○ Components of a few amino acids Formation of dark green and dull
○ One of vitamin B constituents and a coloured leaves
few types of coenzymes Red or purple spots appear on older
leaves
The effects of SULPHUR (S)

macronutrient deficiency ↘ Leaves or the whole plant turns

yellow
CARBON (C), OXYGEN (O), HYDROGEN (H)

» Photosynthesis will not take place

» Less oxygen released by plants
» Stunted growth which can cause
death because there is no glucose

NITROGEN (N)
The functions of
❑ Leaves undergo chlorosis (yellowing micronutrients in plants
of the leaves) mainly on matured
leaves CHLORINE (Cl)
❑ Underlying leaves fall off ▪ Important in the equilibrium of
❑ Protein synthesis disrupted osmotic pressure in cells and
❑ Stunted growth photosynthesis reaction
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ALIA NAZIRA

IRON (Fe)

○ Acts as a cofactor in chlorophyll

The effects of
synthesis
○ Important in the growth of young
micronutrients deficiency
plants CHLORINE (Cl)
MANGANESE (Mn) » Plants wilt
∆ Activates photosynthetic enzymes » Slower root growth
∆ Important for cell respiration and » Leaves undergo chlorosis
nitrogen metabolism » Lesser fruit production

BORON (N) IRON (Fe)

 Helps the roots in calcium ion uptake → Young leaves become yellowish
and sucrose translocation MANGANESE (Mn)
 Involves in carbohydrate metabolism
and helps in germination of pollen ◊ Network of dark green leaf veins
with a background of light green
ZINC (Zn) ◊ Light brown or grey spots in between
⌂ Important in leaf formation leaf veins
⌂ Synthesis of auxin (growth hormone) BORON (N)
⌂ As a cofactor in carbohydrate
metabolism ❑ Death of terminal buds and abnormal
growth
COPPER (Cu) ❑ Leaves become thicker, rolled up and
➢ Involves in nitrogen metabolism and fragile
photosynthesis ZINC (Zn)
➢ Important for growth, reproduction
and flower formation ꚛ Leaf surfaces become spotted with
chlorosis parts
NICKEL (Ni) ꚛ Stunted growth
✓ A component of plant enzymes COPPER (Cu)
involved in the breakdown of urea to
become ammonia which can be used by ↘ Death of young shoot apex
plants ↘ Brown spots on terminal leaves
↘ Plants become stunted
MOLYBDENUM (Mo)
NICKEL (Ni)
❖ Involves in nitrogen fixation and
nitrate reduction during protein • Stunted growth
synthesis • Reduces crop production
• Burnt effect at the end of leaves due
to urea accumulation
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ALIA NAZIRA

MOLYBDENUM (Mo)  A complete culture solution was

prepared by a chemist named Wilhelm
Chlorosis in between matured leaf
Knop in 1859
veins
Leaf colour becomes pale green COMPLETE KNOP’S CULTURE SOLUTION
Reduces crop production Calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2 0.8 g
Potassium nitrate, KNO3 0.2 g
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate, 0.2 g
KH2PO4
 A culture solution is used to study Magnesium sulphate, MgSO4 0.2 g
the importance of nutrients for Iron(III) phosphate, FePO4 Trace
plant growth Distilled water 1000 cm3
 Contains all nutrients including trace
elements needed by healthy plants

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ALIA NAZIRA

THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF ROOTS

○ Provide support and strength to

anchor the plant in the soil
○ Absorb water and mineral salts from
the soil and transport them to the
stem and leaves

The functions of the

structure of the roots
ROOT COLLAR

↘ Part of the root connected to the

base of the plant stem

ROOT HAIRS

» Adapted from epidermal cells of the EPIDERMIS

roots ⌂ Epidermal cells are closely arranged
» Increases the total surface of the ⌂ Have thin cell walls and water-
roots to increase the uptake of permeable cell membranes that
water and mineral salts facilitate water movement in the
ROOT CAP roots
⌂ There are epidermal cells which form
◊ Located at the tip of the root root hairs by elongating towards
◊ Protects the root from damage when lateral sides from the outer walls
going through the soil ⌂ Root hair cells are not layered with
cuticle to allow water absorption

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ALIA NAZIRA

⌂ The root hair cells also have big the vascular cylinder but not air
vacuoles to store water and mineral bubbles
salts to increase water absorption
VASCULAR CYLINDER
CORTEX
❑ Vascular cylinder in the root core
∆ Cortex is located under the epidermal that consists of xylem and phloem
layer tissues surrounded by one cell thick
∆ Has thin cell walls that facilitate pericycle cell tissues
water movement in the roots ❑ Pericycle in involved in the secondary
∆ The cells are loosely arranged to growth and the formation of lateral
facilitate gaseous exchange roots
∆ Most of the cortex consists of ❑ Usually, xylem and phloem tissues are
parenchyma cells arranged in a star-shaped pattern
❑ Xylem tissue transports water and
ENDODERMIS
mineral salts
→ Separating layer between cortex and ❑ Phloem tissue transports organic
vascular cylinder substance (sucrose and plant
→ Endodermal cells are closely arranged hormone)
and one cell thick
→ Most of the endodermal cells have
suberin or lignin thickening at the
walls which form Casparian strips
→ Endodermis allows water and mineral
salts absorbed from the soil to enter

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ALIA NAZIRA

EPIPHYTIC PLANTS

❖ Epiphytic plants are green plants

which live on other plants which are
the hosts
ꚛ Nutrition is a process of organisms ❖ Epiphytic plants receive more
obtaining energy and nutrients from sunlight for photosynthesis by living
food for growth, maintenance and on taller hosts
repair of damaged tissues ❖ These plants synthesise their own
PARASITIC PLANTS food
❖ Epiphytes do not harm the host
Parasitic plants live by growing on
because the roots of epiphytes can
other plants which are the hosts
absorb nutrients accumulated in the
The roots of this plant absorb
gaps of the plant’s stem
organic substances, minerals and
❖ Most epiphytes have swollen stems
water from the host by penetrating
that are able to store a lot of water
the stem up to the vascular bundles
❖ Examples of epiphytic plants
of the host
1) Asplenium ridus (bird’s nest
This causes the parasitic plant to
fern)
grow faster and flourish, whereas
2) Bulbophyllum sp. (orchids)
the host is malnourished, dried and
3) Spanish moss
will eventually die
4) Ascocenda
Examples of parasitic plants
5) Java moss
i) Rafflesia sp. / rafflesia
arnoldii (corpse flower)
ii) Pilostyles sp. / pilostyles
thurberi (Thurber’s
stemsucker)
iii) Cuscuta sp. / cuscuta gronovii
(dodder)
iv) Arceuthobium sp. (dwarf
mistletoe)
v) Nuytsia sp. (Australian
Christmas tree)

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ALIA NAZIRA

CARNIVOROUS PLANTS ✓ Nitrogen is important for growth

✓ This is because carnivorous plants
✓ Carnivorous plants are able to
live in soil which lacks nitrogen
synthesise their own food y carrying
sources
out photosynthesis
✓ Examples of carnivorous plants
✓ Carnivorous plants secrete nectar
a) Nepenthes sp. (pitcher plant)
and they have cups to trap their
b) Dionaea muscipula (venus fly
prey, typically insects
trap)
✓ The prey then slowly digested by
c) Cobra lily
digestive enzymes
d) Butterwort
✓ The trapped animals can supply
e) Big floating bladderwort
nitrogen to the plants

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