What Do Nutrients Do for Plants?

If a plant decided to go on a diet, what do you think it would choose to be as healthy as possible? It turns out that plants, like humans, rely on essential nutrients to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The Soil Science Society of America's (SSSA) Soils Matter blog explores the functions of the essential nutrients plants need to thrive.

Blogger Amanda Ramcharan highlights macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as micronutrients, such as calcium, magnesium and sulfur.

Plants use nitrogen to create amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Proteins are essential for all human and plant cells. In addition to creating amino acids, nitrogen is a component of the chlorophyll molecule. So, nitrogen influences the photosynthesis process!

Without a balanced "diet" of these nutrients, plants may look sick. Certain processes within the plant can slow down or even stop. For example, sulfur is essential for chloroplast growth. Chloroplast is what makes leaves look green. When a plant doesn't have enough sulfur, new plant growth will appear yellow.

So why not load on the fertilizer, you may ask? Ramcharan explains how too much of these essential nutrients can still be toxic to plants. For instance, applying too much phosphorus to a plant can cause it to have iron and zinc deficiencies.

To learn more about what nutrients do for plants, read the entire blog at https://bit.ly/3OiQQvZ.

SSSA is a progressive international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, and founded in 1936, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members and 1,000+ certified professionals dedicated to advancing the field of soil science. The Society provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.