Soil Chemistry and Nutrients

Essential nutrients plants need in large amounts for growth.

Essential nutrients needed in small amounts for plant growth.

The three macronutrients plants obtain primarily from air and water and use in photosynthesis.

Important macronutrients needed for plant growth, often obtained from the soil

The process where plants use light energy, CO2, and water to make food and oxygen.

Minerals essential for plant growth, cycled through soil.

A macronutrient needed for plant growth.

The carbon-based components present in soil, contributing to nutrient cycle.

A measure of how acidic or alkaline soil is, crucial for plant growth.

The process of storing carbon in soil to remove it from the atmosphere.

Plants absorb nitrogen as ammonium (NH4+) or nitrate (NO3-).

Different plants thrive in specific pH ranges. For example, blueberries need low pH (5.5 or less).

Slow growth, yellowing (chlorosis), leaf tip/margin burning, low protein crops.

Increasing soil pH by adding lime (e.g., calcium carbonate).

Excessive vegetative growth, watery crops, frost damage, weakened stems, delayed flowering/fruiting, nutrient imbalances.

A substance used to increase soil pH by neutralizing acidity.

Measure of the suitableness of soil for plant growth based on various factors, including pH, nutrients and organic content.

Nitrogen exists as gas (N2), nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), ammonium (NH4+), and ammonia (NH3) in soil.

Found in DNA, RNA, cell membranes, and energy molecules (ATP); crucial for early growth, blooming, seed production.

A procedure to determine soil characteristics such as pH and nutrient levels.

The amount of essential nutrients (like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) present in soil.

Nutrients N and P compete for uptake by plants; excessive N can lead to P deficiency despite adequate soil P.

The percentage of organic matter (like dead leaves and decomposing plants) in soil.

Contributing to soil acidity.

A type of limestone that provides calcium, which helps to neutralize soil acidity.

A type of limestone that provides both calcium and magnesium, which helps to neutralize soil acidity.

Excessive irrigation can leach calcium from the soil, causing deficiency symptoms in plants.

Boron is crucial for protein synthesis, starch/sugar transport, regulating nitrogen/carbohydrate metabolism, root growth, fruit/seed development, water uptake/transport, and boosting produce quality.

Boron toxicity often stems from high salt concentrations in soils formed in arid basins, where groundwater evaporates to the surface.

Magnesium is a crucial component of chlorophyll needed for photosynthesis; it also activates enzymes.

Chlorosis between veins in older leaves, marginal yellowing, upward leaf curling, stunted growth, and less sweet fruit.

Copper acts as a catalyst in plant respiration and enzyme activation, important for carbohydrate and protein synthesis.

Magnesium can move from older to younger plant tissue during deficiencies.

Soils formed from highly weathered materials may lack copper because copper, after release, is adsorbed to soil particles, possibly getting leached away.

Iron is essential for chlorophyll production, respiration, enzyme/protein function, and nitrogen fixation in plants.

Sulfur is essential for proteins (like cysteine and methionine), forming part of these components, and for legume nodule development.

Iron deficiency can occur despite abundant soil iron due to insolubility, especially at high pH values, high lime content, or poor soil aeration.

Pale young leaves, slow growth, and delayed maturity are signs of sulfur deficiency.

Plants absorb sulfur as sulfate ions (SO42-).

Maintaining a balance of magnesium, potassium, and calcium ions is crucial for successful plant growth since these ions compete for CEC sites.

A micronutrient crucial for plant metabolism, including nitrogen use, vitamin synthesis, CO2 assimilation, and carbohydrate breakdown. It's a part of multiple enzymes and catalyzes others.

Manganese availability in soil can be affected by pH (high pH reduces availability) and organic matter content (high organic matter reduces availability).

A micronutrient essential for nitrogen fixation and converting nitrate-N into a usable form for plant protein synthesis.

A micronutrient that activates enzymes in photosynthesis, carbohydrate regulation and combustion, and plant hormone auxin synthesis. Critical for seed and grain development.

Zinc availability in soil depends on the soil's formation (weathered rocks = lower Zn) and temperature (warmer = more available).

A micronutrient required for plant photosynthetic reactions.

Dead decaying organic matter from living sources. It's typically part of fertilizers derived from animal waste.