Nutrients are the chemical compounds necessary for plant metabolism and external growth, they are present in the soil as salts, so plants can absorb these elements as ions. Without these nutrients plants cannot complete its life cycle.
There are 17 essential nutrients and are grouped under relative categories:
- Primary Nutrients– Also known as Macronutrients are those required in larger amounts, such as Carbon(C), Hydrogen(H), Nitrogen(N), Oxygen(O), Phosphorus(P), Potassium(P).
- Secondary Nutrients– That required in moderate quantities as compared to primary ones. Calcium(Ca), Magnesium(Mg) and Sulphur(S) are one such.
- Micronutrients– nutrients required in tiny or micro quantities. Boron(B), Chlorine(Cl), Iron(Fe), Manganese(Mn), Nickel(Ni), Molybdenum(Mo) and Zinc(Zn) belong to the class of micronutrients.
Among these essential nutrients, there exist another wider classification of:
- C, H, O constitutes Macronutrients from Air/Water.
- Soil based Macronutrients comprises of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S,
- while Micronutrients such as B, cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zi are derived from Soil/Earth.
Air/Water driven Macronutrients
Macronutrients like Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen are the vital components of plant growth. These elements are available for plants to absorb in the form of ions; as dissolved in the water, vapours in air. It contributes to over 90% of a plant’s entire biomass on a dry matter weight basis.
Soil derived Macronutrients
The six soil derived macronutrients are relatively in higher concentration nearly exceeding 0.1% of the plant’s total dry weight. In precise, each contributes their part as average % in total dry weight ,Nitrogen- 1.5, Phosphorous- 0.2, Potassium- 1.0, Calcium- 0.5, Magnesium- 0.2 and Sulphur- 0.1.
Soil delivered Micronutrients
The remaining 8 micronutrients are relatively lower in concentration. Micronutrients are present in few parts per million(ppm), of the overall plant’s total dry weight. Even though the quantities are less, their deficiency harms the plants as much as macronutrients does.
As the concentration of these micronutrients are expressed in ppm, their weightages are assumed as Boron -20, Chlorine- 100, Copper- 6, Ferrous- 100, Manganese- 50, Molybdenum- 0.1, Zinc-20 and Nickel accounts far more less than .001.