Question

Give a brief account of plant nutrients.

Answer 1

Hint: A substance that provides nourishment essential for the maintenance of life and for growth. Or in more simple words we can understand it as nutrients are the compounds found in food which is required to have life. Plants and animals both need nutrients for the same reason to survive. Plants need them to germinate, grow, and fight off diseases and pests and to reproduce.

Complete answer:
Chemical elements needed for the nourishment of plants are plant nutrients.
There are 17 essential nutrients for plants. On the basis of quantity required, nutrients can broadly be categorized into macronutrients and micronutrients. Each plant nutrient has its own crucial role in plant development and growth. A major source of nutrients is soil.
Major elements-
Nitrogen (N):
Nitrogen is a key element in plant growth. It is a major component of chlorophyll and amino acids. Nitrogen fixation, converting the atmospheric nitrogen into forms that can be absorbed by roots is done by leguminous plants.
Phosphorus (P):
Phosphorus is helpful in transfer of energy from sunlight to plants, which stimulates early root and plant growth, and causes maturity.
Potassium (K):
Potassium provides strength and health and disease resistance of plants, helps form and move starches, sugars and oils in plants, and can improve fruit quality.
Calcium (Ca):
Calcium is needed for growth of new root hairs and roots, development of leaves, and overall root health.
Magnesium (Mg):
It forms a key component of chlorophyll and hence, plays a vital role in photosynthesis.
Sulfur (S):
Sulfur is a constituent of amino acids of plant proteins and is involved in plants energy-producing processes.
Trace elements include Iron, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, Boron and Molybdenum and they are needed in small quantities by plants.

Note:
Three criteria required for an element to be considered essential are-
 1. Life cycle of plants cannot be completed without the element.
2. The function of that element cannot be performed by any other element.
3. The element is directly involved in plant nutrition.