Plant nutrients in soil

Seventeen elements or nutrients are essential for plant growth and reproduction. They are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), boron (B), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni) and chlorine (Cl).[1][2][3] Nutrients required for plants to complete their life cycle are considered essential nutrients. Nutrients that enhance the growth of plants but are not necessary to complete the plant's life cycle are considered non-essential, although some of them, such as silicon (Si), have been shown to improve nutrent availability,[4] hence the use of stinging nettle and horsetail (both silica-rich) macerations in Biodynamic agriculture.[5] With the exception of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which are supplied by carbon dioxide and water, and nitrogen, provided through nitrogen fixation,[3] the nutrients derive originally from the mineral component of the soil. The Law of the Minimum expresses that when the available form of a nutrient is not in enough proportion in the soil solution, then other nutrients cannot be taken up at an optimum rate by a plant.[6] A particular nutrient ratio of the soil solution is thus mandatory for optimizing plant growth, a value which might differ from nutrient ratios calculated from plant composition.[7]

Plant uptake of nutrients can only proceed when they are present in a plant-available form. In most situations, nutrients are absorbed in an ionic form by diffusion or absorption of the soil water. Although minerals are the origin of most nutrients, and the bulk of most nutrient elements in the soil is held in crystalline form within primary and secondary minerals, they weather too slowly to support rapid plant growth. For example, the application of finely ground minerals, feldspar and apatite, to soil seldom provides the necessary amounts of potassium and phosphorus at a rate sufficient for good plant growth, as most of the nutrients remain bound in the crystals of those minerals.[8]

The nutrients adsorbed onto the surfaces of clay colloids and soil organic matter provide a more accessible reservoir of many plant nutrients (e.g. K, Ca, Mg, P, Zn). As plants absorb the nutrients from the soil water, the soluble pool is replenished from the surface-bound pool. The decomposition of soil organic matter by microorganisms is another mechanism whereby the soluble pool of nutrients is replenished – this is important for the supply of plant-available N, S, P, and B from soil.[9]

Gram for gram, the capacity of humus to hold nutrients and water is far greater than that of clay minerals, most of the soil cation exchange capacity arising from charged carboxylic groups on organic matter.[10] However, despite the great capacity of humus to retain water once water-soaked, its high hydrophobicity decreases its wettability.[11] All in all, small amounts of humus may remarkably increase the soil's capacity to promote plant growth.[12][9]

Plant nutrients, their chemical symbols, and the ionic forms common in soils and available for plant uptake[13]
Element Symbol Ion or molecule
Carbon C CO2 (mostly through leaf and root litter)
Hydrogen H H+, HOH (water)
Oxygen O O2−, OH, CO32−, SO42−, CO2
Phosphorus P H2PO4, HPO42− (phosphates)
Potassium K K+
Nitrogen N NH4+, NO3 (ammonium, nitrate)
Sulfur S SO42−
Calcium Ca Ca2+
Iron Fe Fe2+, Fe3+ (ferrous, ferric)
Magnesium Mg Mg2+
Boron B H3BO3, H2BO3, B(OH)4
Manganese Mn Mn2+
Copper Cu Cu2+
Zinc Zn Zn2+
Molybdenum Mo MoO42− (molybdate)
Chlorine Cl Cl (chloride)
  1. ^ Dean 1957, p. 80.
  2. ^ Russel 1957, pp. 123–25.
  3. ^ a b Weil, Ray R.; Brady, Nyle C. (2017). The nature and properties of soils (15th ed.). Columbus, Ohio: Pearson. ISBN 978-0133254488. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  4. ^ Pavlovic, Jelena; Kostic, Ljiljana; Bosnic, Predrag; Kirkby, Ernest A.; Nikolic, Miroslav (2021). "Interactions of silicon with essential and beneficial elements in plants". Frontiers in Plant Science. 12 (697592): 1–19. doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.697592. PMC 8261142. PMID 34249069.
  5. ^ Pairault, Liliana-Adriana; Tritean, Naomi; Constantinescu-Aruxandei, Diana; Oancea, Florin (2022). "Plant biostimulants based on nanoformulated biosilica recovered from silica-rich biomass" (PDF). Scientific Bulletin, Series F, Biotechnologies. 26 (1): 49–58. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  6. ^ Van der Ploeg, Rienk R.; Böhm, Wolfgang; Kirkham, Mary Beth (1999). "On the origin of the theory of mineral nutrition of plants and the Law of the Minimum". Soil Science Society of America Journal. 63 (5): 1055–62. Bibcode:1999SSASJ..63.1055V. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.475.7392. doi:10.2136/sssaj1999.6351055x.
  7. ^ Knecht, Magnus F.; Göransson, Anders (2004). "Terrestrial plants require nutrients in similar proportions". Tree Physiology. 24 (4): 447–60. doi:10.1093/treephys/24.4.447. PMID 14757584.
  8. ^ Dean 1957, pp. 80–81.
  9. ^ a b Roy, R. N.; Finck, Arnold; Blair, Graeme J.; Tandon, Hari Lal Singh (2006). "Chapter 4: Soil fertility and crop production" (PDF). Plant nutrition for food security: a guide for integrated nutrient management. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. pp. 43–90. ISBN 978-92-5-105490-1. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  10. ^ Parfitt, Roger L.; Giltrap, Donna J.; Whitton, Joe S. (1995). "Contribution of organic matter and clay minerals to the cation exchange capacity of soil". Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 26 (9–10): 1343–55. Bibcode:1995CSSPA..26.1343P. doi:10.1080/00103629509369376. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  11. ^ Hajnos, Mieczyslaw; Jozefaciuk, Grzegorz; Sokołowska, Zofia; Greiffenhagen, Andreas; Wessolek, Gerd (2003). "Water storage, surface, and structural properties of sandy forest humus horizons". Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science. 166 (5): 625–34. Bibcode:2003JPNSS.166..625H. doi:10.1002/jpln.200321161. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  12. ^ Donahue, Miller & Shickluna 1977, pp. 123–31.
  13. ^ Donahue, Miller & Shickluna 1977, p. 125.