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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #334618
Title: Plant macro- and micronutrient minerals

Author
item Grusak, Michael
item BROADLEY, MARTIN - University Of Nottingham
item WHITE, PHILIP - The James Hutton Institute

Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2016
Publication Date: 12/14/2016
Citation: Grusak, M.A., Broadley, M.R., White, P.J. 2016. Plant macro- and micronutrient minerals. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. 1-6. doi:10.1002/9780470015902.a0001306.pub2.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: All plants must obtain a number of inorganic mineral elements from their environment to ensure successful growth and development of both vegetative and reproductive tissues. A total of fourteen mineral nutrients are considered to be essential. Several other elements have been shown to have beneficial functions. A plant’s ability to obtain adequate amounts of essential minerals depends critically on the availability of these minerals in the soil. Mineral deficiencies affect plant growth by affecting key components of photosynthesis and/or metabolism. The occurrence of deficiency symptoms throughout the plant can differ from older to younger leaves, depending on whether the mineral can be mobilized in the phloem from older senescing tissues to young growing regions of the plant. Mineral fertilizers are used widely in agricultural systems to support crop yields. In addition, fertilizers can be used to ensure crops are of sufficient quality in terms of their mineral composition.