Table of Contents:

Topic Page No
Acknowledment 2
1. Introduction: 3
2. Primary Nutrient 4
A.Nitrogen 4
B.Phosphorus 4
C. Potassium 5
D.Calcium 5
E. Magnesium 5
F. Sulphur 6
3.Micronutrients 7
G. Iron 7
H. Mangenese 7
I. Zinc 8
J. Copper 8
K. Boron 8
L. Chlorine 9
M. Nickel 9
N. Molybdenum 10
4.Reference 10
10.CONCLUSION 11
Introduction:
Plants, like any living organisms, require essential nutrients for their growth,
development, and overall health. These nutrients play a vital role in various
physiological processes, ensuring proper functioning of plant systems. While
adequate nutrient availability is crucial.Excessive amounts can lead to toxicity
symptoms, negatively impacting plant health.
For an element to be considered essential, three criteria must be met:
1. A given plant must be unable to complete its lifecycle in the absence of the
element.
2. The function of the element must not be replaceable by another element.
3. The element must be directly involved in plant metabolism – for example,
as a component of an essential plant constituent such as an enzyme – or it
must be required for a distinct metabolic step such as an enzyme reaction.
At first sixteen (16) are essential for growth and development of most plants
due to their fulfillment the criteria of essentiality given by Arnon and Stout
(1939). These are Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N),
Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S), Iron
(Fe), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo),
Chlorine (Cl) but letter one element nickel (Ni) has been added to the list of
essential element due to satisfy these criteria for higher plants. Thus, at
present the total number of essential elements is seventeen (17).
Among the 17 essential elements, only nine elements are needed in relatively
large amounts, hence they are called macronutrients. The other 8 elements are
needed in relatively very small amounts, hence they are called micronutrients.
Macronutrients
Structural Nutrients : Carbon, Oxygen , Hydrogen
Primary nutrients : Nitrogen , Phosphorus , Potassium
Secondary nutrients : Calcium , Magnesium , Sulphur
Micronutrients
Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B),
Molybdenum (Mo), Chlorine (Cl), Nickel (Ni)
Primary nutrients :-
Nitrogen
Nutrient function:
● N combines with C,H,O & S to create amino acids.
● N major part of the chlorophyll
● N improves the quality & quantity of dry matter.
Toxicity:

● Dark green leaves and foliage.

● Leaf tips may turn down.
● Yellowing on the affected leaves.
● Claw leaves will eventually start turning yellow, getting spots and
dying.
Phosphorus
Nutrient function :
● P is a part of RNA & DNA structures
● P plays a major role in energy and storage & transfer as ADP & ATP
● P aids in root development, flower initiation and seed and fruit
development.
Toxicity:
● Reduced nutrient uptake
● Dark green leaves
● Decreased root development.
● Very rare and usually buffered by pH limitation.
● Excess P can interfere with the availability of Cu and Zn.
Potassium
Nutrient functions:
● K assists in regulating the plant’s use of water by controlling the opening
and closing of leaf stomatas, where water is released to cool the plant.
● K promotes the translocation of photosythates (sugars) for plant growth
or storage in fruits or roots.
● Improve disease resistance in plants, improve the size of grains.
Toxicity:
● Leaf Tip And Marginal Necrosis
● Reduced Calcium Uptake
● Reduced Flowering
Calcium
Nutrient functions:
● Ca is essential for seed production in peanuts.
● Ca has a major role in the formation of the cell wall membrane and its
plasticity
● It acts as a detoxifying agent by neutralizing organic acids in plants
Toxicity:
● Reduced Root Growth
● Leaf Necrosis
● Reduced Fruit Quality.
● Rarely occurs ,High level of Ca can compete with Mg and K uptake
causing their deficiencies
Magnesium
Nutrient function:
● Mg is a co-factor in several enzymatic reactions that activate the
phosphorylation processes.
● Mg assists the movement of sugars within a plant.
 ● The predominant role of Mg is as a major constituent of the chlorophyll
molecule, and it is therefore actively involved in photosynthesis.
● Mg is required to stabilize ribosome particles and also helps stabilize the
structure of nucleic acids.
Toxicity:
● Mg toxicity are rare and not generally visible
● Interveinal chlorosis in older leaves.
● Leaf curling and necrosis of leaf margins.
● Reduced uptake of calcium and potassium.
Sulfur
Nutrient functions:
● S is essential in forming plant proteins because it is a constituent of
certain amino acids.
● It is actively involved in metabolism of the B vitamins biotin and
thiamine and co-enzyme A.
● S aids in seed production, chlorophyll formation, nodule formation in
legumes, and stabilizing protein structure.
Toxicity:
● Stunted growth and reduced plant vigor
● Leaf size will reduce,
● leaves yellowing or scorched at edges.
Micronutrients
Iron
Nutrient functions:
● Fe is essential in the heme enzyme system in plant metabolism
● Fe has been strongly associated with protein metabolism.
● Fe is part of protein ferredoxin and is required in nitrate and sulfate
reductions.
● Fe is essential in the synthesis and maintenance of chlorophyll in plants.
Toxicity:
● Occurs due to a low growing medium pH or form and excessive
application of fe.
● Dark green leaves with brown spots or interveinal chlorosis.
● Reduced growth and stunted root development.
● Leaf tip necrosis and leaf curling.
● Reduced nutrient uptake due to iron-induced nutrient imbalances.
Manganese
Nutrient functions
• Mn primarily functions as part of the plant enzyme system, activating
several metabolic functions. It is a constituent of pyruvate carboxylase.
• Mn is involved in the oxidation-reduction process in photosynthesis.
• Mn is necessary in Photosystem II, where it participates in photolysis.
• Mn activates indole acetic acid oxidase, which then oxidizes indole
acetic acid in plants.
Toxicity:
● Manganese toxicity can occur if the fertilizer application rate is excesses
● They can occur when the pH of the growing media below 5.5
● Burning of the tips and margin of older leaves as reddish-brown sports
across older leaves
● Forming patches on the older leaves
Zinc
Nutrient functions:
● Zn is required in the synthesis of tryptophan, which in turn is necessary
for the formation of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) in plants.
● The enzyme carbonic anhydrase is specifically by Zn.
● Zn has a role in RNA and protein synthesis.
Toxicity:
● Growth reduction,
● leaf chlorosis & bronzing of leaf tips and margins
● Curling and deformation of young leaves.
Copper
Nutrient functions:
● Cu is part of the chloroplast protein plastocyanin, which forms part of
the electron transport chain.
● Cu may have a role in the synthesis and/or stability of chlorophyll and
other plant pigments
● Cu is essential in several plant enzyme systems involved in
photosynthesis.
Toxicity:
● Excess Cu can restrict root growth by burning the root tips
● Compete with plant uptake of Fe and sometimes more Zn
● Reduce branching and eventually plant die
Boron
Nutrient functions:
● B is essential for pollen germination and growth of the pollen tube.
● B has been associated with lignin synthesis, activities of certain enzymes,
seed and cell wall formation, and sugar transport.
Toxicity:
• Chlorotic leaf tips leaf necrosis.
 • Chlorotic leaf tips
• Leaf necrosis
• Leaf falling
• An even plant death
Chlorine
Nutrient functions:
● Cl is essential in photosynthesis, where it is involved in the evolution of
oxygen
● Cl reduces the severity of certain fungal diseases, e.g., take-all disease of
wheat
● Cl increases cell osmotic pressure and the water content of plant tissues.
Toxicity:
● Chloride toxicity starts as premature yellow of leaves then in marginal or
tip necrosis of
● older leaves
Nickel
Nutrient functions:
● Important element for plant growth.
● Important element in enzyme like urease
● Nickel is also used as a catalyst in enzymes used to help legumes fix
nitrogen.
● Nickel helps with disease tolerance in plants
Toxicity:
● Root and shoot is often suppress.
● Blotchy chlorosis of the new leaves.
Molybdenum
Nutrient functions
• Mo is a necessary component of two major enzymes in plants, nitrate
reductase and nitrogenase, which are required for normal assimilation
of N.
• Mo is required by some soil microorganisms for nitrogen fixation in soils.
Toxicity:
• Root and shoot is often suppress.
• Blotchy chlorosis of the new leaves.

Reference
➢ Author(s): Das, DK
Title: Introductory Soil Science
Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Kalyani Publishers
Edition: 3, reprint
ISBN: 8127267481, 9788127267483
Length: 645 pages
➢ https://chat.openai.com/
➢ https://www.bing.com/search
 Conclusion
• Emphasize the importance of proper nutrient management for optimal
plant growth.
• Understanding the toxicity symptoms associated with different
micronutrients is crucial for managing plant nutrition effectively.
• Monitoring nutrient levels and providing proper fertilization techniques
can help prevent nutrient imbalances and toxicity in plants
• Macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are vital
for plant growth and are required in relatively large quantities. Nitrogen
is crucial for protein synthesis, chlorophyll production, and overall
plant growth. Phosphorus is essential for energy transfer, DNA
synthesis, and root development. Potassium regulates water balance,
activates enzymes, and enhances disease resistance. Deficiencies in
these macronutrients can result in stunted growth, leaf chlorosis, and
reduced yield.
• Micronutrients, though required in smaller amounts, are equally critical
for plants. Iron, zinc, and boron are examples of micronutrients that
facilitate various physiological processes. Iron is necessary for
chlorophyll synthesis and efficient photosynthesis. Zinc is involved in
enzyme activation, hormone synthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism.
Boron aids in cell wall formation, pollen germination, and nutrient
transport. Micronutrient deficiencies manifest as interveinal chlorosis,
malformed leaves, and distorted growth.
• However, it is essential to maintain a delicate balance when supplying
nutrients to plants. Excessive levels of essential nutrients can lead to
toxicity symptoms, adversely affecting plant growth and function.
Nitrogen toxicity results in dark green leaves, weak stems, and delayed
flowering. Phosphorus toxicity stunts root growth and causes leaf tip
necrosis. Potassium toxicity leads to leaf margin necrosis and weakened
stems. Similarly, excessive levels of micronutrients like iron, zinc, and
copper can result in leaf bronzing, chlorosis, and reduced root growth.
• Recognizing the symptoms of nutrient deficiencies and toxicities is
crucial for effective plant nutrition management. By addressing nutrient
imbalances, either through soil amendments or foliar applications, we
can ensure optimal nutrient availability for plants. Regular soil testing,
proper fertilization techniques, and adopting sustainable agricultural
 practices are key steps towards maintaining a healthy nutrient balance
in plants.
• The role of essential nutrients and the presence of toxicity symptoms in
plants extend beyond individual plant health. They have significant
implications for global food production, ecosystem stability, and
human well-being. Understanding the nutrient requirements of different
plant species, their functions, and the consequences of imbalances is
vital for sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.
• In conclusion, the study of essential nutrients and toxicity symptoms in
plants sheds light on the intricate relationship between plants and their
nutritional needs. By providing plants with adequate and balanced
nutrition, we can support their growth, enhance crop yields, and
promote ecological sustainability. Continued research and practical
application of plant nutrition principles will contribute to a greener and
more productive future for agriculture.