Plant Nutrition and Deficiencies

Just like us, plants require proper nutrition to function optimally. While plants require many nutrients, the following represents a list of nutrients that need to be given to them and are classified based on the amount required.

Major Nutrients

These nutrients are required in relatively large amounts

Nitrogen - N

Phosphorus - P

Potassium - K

Secondary Nutrients

These nutrients are required in medium amounts

Calcium - Ca

Magnesium - Mg

Sulphur - S

Micronutrients

These nutrients are required in very small amounts

Manganese - Mn

Molybdenum - Mo

Copper - Cu

Boron - B

Zinc - Zn

Iron - Fe

Chlorine - Cl

Deficiencies

Deficiency in even a single nutrient, in spite of all other nutrients being available in abundance, leads to suboptimal growth in plants.

Toxicity

Toxicity occurs when a nutrient is in excess of plant’s need and affects plant growth or quality.