⇦ Back to Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Home
| Category | Name | Symbol | Forms Taken Up from Soil | Mobility in Soil? | Mobility in Plant? | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macronutrient | Nitrogen | N | nitrate ion, NO3- ammonium ion, NH4+ |
high low |
high high |
major component of protein compounds; including amino acids, chlorophyll, enzymes, DNA/RNA, etc. |
| Phosphorus | P | phosphate ion, H2PO4- phosphate ion, HPO42+ |
low | high | essential for energy relationhips; synthesis of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) |
|
| Potassium | K | potassium ion, K+ | intermediate | high | involved in plant water relations; opening/closing of leaf stomata | |
| Secondary macronutrient |
Calcium | Ca | calcium ion, Ca2+ | low | low | helps maintain cell membranes |
| Magnesium | Mg | magnesium ion, Mg2+ | intermediate | high | chlorophyll constituent | |
| Sulfur | S | sulfate ion, SO42- | high | high | component of certain amino acids and lipids | |
| Micronutrient | Zinc | Zn | zinc ion, Zn2+ | low | intermediate | required for enzyme involved in maintaining equilibrium of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis |
| Iron | Fe | primarily ferrous ion, Fe2+ some ferric ion, Fe3+ |
low | intermediate | not component of chlorophyll, but required for chlorophyll formation | |
| Manganese | Mn | primarily manganous ion, Mn2+ | low | intermediate | required for hydrolysis of water and evolution of oxygen | |
| Copper | Cu | cupric ion, Cu2+ | low | intermediate | component of enzymes involved in photosynthesis | |
| Boron | B | primarily boric acid, H3BO3, borate ion, H2BO3- | intermediate | low | involved in sugar transport and reproductive development | |
| Chlorine | Cl | chloride ion, Cl- | high | high | involved in plant water relations and photosynthesis | |
| Molybdenum | Mo | molybdate ion, MoO42- | intermediate | intermediate | component of enzymes involved nitrogen fixation and metabolic conversion of nitrate | |
| Nickel | Ni | nickel ion, Ni2+ | low | high | catalyst required for enzymes involved in several metabolic processes |
| Name | Symbol | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Silicon | Si | Increases cell wall strength; reduces lodging, drought stress, insect damage |
| Sodium | Na | Improves photosynthesis; may substitute for potassium in some cases |
| Cobalt | Co | Essential for nitrogen fixing bacteria |
| Selenium | Se | Improves plant growth; essential livestock nutrient |