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Nutrients & Plant Health

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Presentation on theme: "Nutrients & Plant Health"— Presentation transcript:

1 Nutrients & Plant Health
‘The Root Source’ Nutrients & Plant Health

2 Most of the raw materials plants need are found in the soil
How does this affect us? What do plants need to be healthy?

3 NITROGEN Used in creation of proteins and nucleic acids Needed for
Stem and leaf growth Chlorophyll production (photosynthesis) Air has 78% free N Can not be used by plants – not in the correct form How do plants get nitrogen?

4 Nitrogen fixation Changing free nitrogen into a form that can be used by plants Done by certain types of bacteria in the soil Found in the nodules of legumes

5 Nitrogen cycle How else can nitrogen get into the soil?

6 Too little nitrogen in the soil…
Plants have poor or little growth Are yellow in color Too much nitrogen in the soil… Can damage organisms “Burns” or brown coloring Fewer flowers

7 Too much phosphorus in the soil…
Composition of nucleic acids Root and flower growth, reproduction Too little phosphorus in the soil… Plants have poor or little growth Stem may turn purple Leaves may have a blue-gray color Too much phosphorus in the soil… Prevents plant from absorbing other micronutrients Leads to deficiencies in other areas

8 How can deficiencies be corrected?
Add fertilizer Substance that enriches soil with specific nutrients to improve plant growth Are described by the major nutrient elements they contain – N, P, K, some may contain S

9 Negative consequences of fertilizers
If fertilizer enters water sources, it may damage those ecosystems by changing the concentration of chemicals Initial increase in plant growth Algal blooms (Eutrophication) Blocks sunlight Decrease in photosynthesis Algae overpopulate and die Become food for decomposers Increase in bacteria Use up oxygen

10 Leads to a decrease in dissolved oxygen in the water
Fewer species can survive Final product – few or no consumers left in water Dead zone

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