Question

Which of the following elements is not an essential micronutrient for plant growth?
(a) Calcium
(b) Manganese
(c) Zinc
(d) Copper

Answer 1

Hint: It is an essential macronutrient for plant growth. It is a constituent of the middle lamella, activator of enzymes, connected with chromosome formation, and many aspects of metabolism.

Complete answer:
Calcium is not an essential micronutrient. It is an essential macronutrient.
Plants require seventeen essential mineral elements which can be grouped into the following two classes based on their amounts required:
Macronutrients:
These are required in large amounts. The essential macronutrients are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium and essential micronutrients are iron, molybdenum, boron, chlorine, copper, zinc, nickel, and manganese.
Micronutrients:
These are required in small amounts. The essential micronutrients are boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc.
In biology, intermediate sizes are sometimes indicated by ‘meso’. For example, fauna the animal life of soil may be further divided into macrofauna eg.moles, mice, etc., mesofauna eg.earthworms, burrowing insects, etc., and microfauna eg.nematodes, etc.
So, the correct answer is option “(a) Calcium”.

Note: Plants acquire essential elements from the soil through their roots and from the air, it takes nitrogen and oxygen via their leaves.Nutrient uptake in the soil happens by cation exchange, wherein root hairs pump hydrogen ions into the soil through proton pumps. The cations attached to negatively charged soil particles displace the hydrogen ion so that the cations are available for uptake by the root. Stomata open to take in carbon dioxide and expel oxygen from the leaves. The carbon dioxide molecules are used in photosynthesis as the carbon source.