| Macronutrients |
Chemical Symbol |
Form Available to Plants |
Functions in Plants |
| Nitrogen |
N |
NO3-, NH4+ |
Component of amino acids, proteins, nucleotides, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, and coenzymes |
| Phosphorus |
P |
H2PO4-, HPO4 2- |
Component of energy-carrying phosphate compounds (ATP and DTP), nucleic acids, several coenzymes, phospholipids |
| Potassium |
K |
K+ |
Involved in osmosis and ionic and in opening and closing of stomata, activator of many enzymes |
| Calcium |
Ca |
Ca2+ |
Component of cell walls, enzyme cofactor, involved in cellular membrane permability, component of calmodulin, a regulator of membrane and enzyme activities |
| Magnesium |
Mg |
Mg2+ |
Component of the chlorophyll molecule, activator of many enzymes |
| Sulfur |
S |
SO42- |
Component of some amino acids and proteins and coenzyme A |
| Micronutrients |
Chemical Symbol |
Form Available to Plants |
Functions in Plants |
| Iron |
Fe |
Fe3+, Fe2+ |
Required for chlorophyll synthesis, component of cytochromes and nitrogenase |
| Boron |
B |
H3BO3 |
Influences calcium utilization, nucleic acid synthesis, and membrane integrity |
| Copper |
Cu |
Cu+, Cu2+ |
Activator or component of some enzymes involved in oxidation and reduction |
| Molybdenum |
Mo |
MoO42+ |
Required for nitrogen fixation and nitrate reduction |
| Manganese |
Mn |
Mn2+ |
Activator of some enzymes, required for integrity of chloroplast membrane and for oxygen release in photosynthesis |
| Chlorine |
Cl |
Cl- |
Involved in osmosis and ionic balance, probably essential in photosynthetic reactions that produce oxygen |
| Zinc |
Zn |
Zn2+ |
Activator or component of many enzymes |
| Nickel |
Ni |
Ni2+ |
Essential part of enzyme functioning in nitrogen metabolism |
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