General Biology: Plant Nutrition

• carbon dioxide and water

  Plant needs two raw materials to make all the carbohydrates in their bodies
• Oxygen (O2)


  By product of photosynthesis, used by plants through cellular respiration to release energy from chemical bonds in the sugar to support their growth and maintain bodily processes
• Carbon

  Oxygen

  Hydrogen

  Nitrogen

  Potassium

  Calcium

  Magnesium

  Phosphorus


  Macronutrients
• Carbon

  Oxygen

  Hydrogen


  Major component of organic molecules
• Nitrogen


  Component of amino acids, proteins, nucleotides, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, coenzymes, enzymes
• Potassium


  Protein synthesis, stomata activity
• Calcium


  Component of cell walls, maintenance of membrane structure and permeability, activates some enzymes
• Magnesium


  Component of chlorophyll molecule, activates many enzymes
• Phosphorus


  Component of ADP and ATP, nucleic acids, phospholipids, several coenzymes
• Chlorine

  Iron

  Manganese

  Zinc

  Boron

  Copper

  Molybdenum


  Micronutrients
• Chlorine


  Osmosis and ionic balance
• Iron


  Chlorophyll synthesis, cytochromes, nitrogenase
• Manganese


  Activator of certain enzymes
• Zinc


  Activator of many enzymes, active in formation of chlorophyll
• Boron


  Possibly involved in carbohydrate transport, nucleic acid synthesis
• Copper


  Activator or component of certain enzymes
• Molybdenum


  Nitrogen fixation, nitrate reduction
• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria


  Live in close association with plants through their roots
• Nodules


  Some of Nitrogen-fixing bacteria end up being housed inside the plant tissues called
• Plants - have an open growth system that requires nutrients as raw materials.
• SUNDEW, PITCHER PLANT AND VENUS FLYTRAP -REPRESENTATIVE OF CARNIVOROUS PLANTS
• SUNDEW - HAS STICKY TENTACLES AND DEWY LEAVES THAT CAN LURE INSECTS TO DEATH
• PITCHER PLANT - THE ENZYMATIC LIQUID INSIDE THE TUBULAR BODY OF THIS PLANT DIGESTS INSECTS
• PITCHER PLANT - ITS RIM WALLS ARE SLIPPERY, REDUCING THE CHANCE OF INSECTS ESCAPE
• VENUS FLYTRAP - EMPLOYS THIGMONASTY, WHICH TRIGGERS THE CLOSING OF ITS LEAVES WHEN DETECTOR HAIRS ARE TOUCHED IN SUCCESSION.
• MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI - THIS FUNGI ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF PHOSPHORUS TRANSFER AS WELL AS THE UPTAKE OF OTHER NUTRIENTS IN PLANTS