Plant Nutrients Flashcards
How many elements known to be essential
17
Photosynthesis
- Light Energy used, H split off of water
- H combined w/ C and O to make CO2 (diffused through leaf stomata)
- Results in CHO + other organic _______?___________
Macronutrients
Needed to supply plant so large amounts are needed:
- N
- P
- K
Secondary Nutrients
- Ca
- Mg
- S
Micronutrients
Minuscule amounts needed but so critical if below amount needed then it can cause major problems:
- B
- Cl
- Cu
- Fe
- Mn
- Ni
- Zn
Mechanisms of Nutrient Uptake
- Nutrients reach root surfaces by three mechanisms
- Absorption of Nutrients into roots
- Absorption through leaves
Nutrients reach root surfaces by three mechanisms
- Mass flow
- Diffusion
- Interception
- all three in constant operation but shift in priority as move through growing season
- root hairs primarily responsible for the uptake
Mass flow
movement of nutrients in water flowing towards the root
Diffusion
movement down a concentration gradient from high to low
Interception
roots explore new soil areas containing unused soil nutrients
Absorption of nutrients into roots
Mechanism not well understood (hard to see below ground)
- Movement through cell wall easy
- movement into cytoplasm much harder
- nutrient must go through passageway or bond w/ carrier to get through cell membrane
- some actively pulled into cell
- Electrical balance also involved
Absorption through leaves
Leaf Stomata
- Exchange of H20, )2, CO2
- Some soluble elements can be absorbed in small amounts
* Mostly micronutrients
* Marcos typically need in too high quantities to foliage needs
Soil N gains and transformations
- N is the key nutrient in plant growth management
- Most Soil N isn’t in a form that can be absorbed
- Unique Nutrient
N is the key nutrient in plant growth management
- Most commonly deficient nutrient
- controlling factor in plant growth
- Constituent of: proteins, chlorophyll, nucleic acids
- Plants w/ sufficient N have thinner cell walls and are more succulent plants
- N deficiency= poor plant yields
Most soil N isn’t in a form that can be absorbed
-Most immobile in organic matter
-N2 gas in the atmosphere
-Must be fixed bu soil bacteria
first
Unique Nutrient
-Can be absorbed soluble organic form
-NH4, NO3
-Soluble, mobile, easily
leached
-can be easily denitrified by
soil microbes
2 forms of N available to plants
- NH4
- NO3
N deficiency symptoms
- poor
- spindly
- stunted growth
NH4 & NO3 are not necessarily interchangeable
- NH4 saves the plant energy (easier for plant to use)
- NO3 is more stable in the soil
NH4
Ammonium
NO3
Nitrate
Fixation of N gas (N2)
- Primary source of soil N
- Taken by soil microbes, converted to NH4
- Wide variation in how much N is fixed
Wide variation in how much N is fixed due to:
- soil
- fertilizers used
- crops
In very productive soil and high amounts of N plants don’t have a relationship with
N fixing bacteria, no nodules form on the roots
Mineralization of N
-Release of N from decomposition of organic materials
-Conversion of organic N to NH4 form
-Soil OM contains ~5% N
-Only small % of OM
decomposes each year
Nitrification of Ammonium
- oxidation of ammonium to nitrate by bacteria and other organisms
- Rapid microbial transformation (1-2 days)
- Most is complete w/in 1-2 weeks
- Some absorbed, some absorbed quickly
- Slowed by anaerobic conditions, dry, cold, toxic chemicals
Other Fixation reactions involving Soil N
immobilization
immobilization
soluble N held in plant materials or microbes
in immobilization N…..
- is not available to plants
- can be fixated to clay particles
- can be consumed by decomposing microbes and held until they die
N losses from the system
- leaching of soil N
- nitrification inhibitors
Leaching of soil N
NO3- readily leached form of N, toxic to young mammals
- Nitrate lost due to negative charge
- Ammonium held due to positive charge
- leaching rates
- losses from crop covered soils usually low
- losses from heavily fertilized, wet soils high
Leaching rates _____ as _______ increase, when plant growth rates aren’t quick enough to keep up with N production
increase
percolation rates
Nitrification inhibitors
- chemicals used to inhibit nitrification
- N-Serve, DCD, ATC
- Inhibit the first step of nitrification, slow the release of N to the soil- N-serve more volatile and can evaporate slowly
- DCD, ATC stable, easy to handle, can be applied as coatings to granules
What effect does Nitrification inhibitors have and what options does it allow producers?
Completely altering ecosystem, lost of N-fixing microbes which eliminate the process to nitrify in the soil, reliant on the addition because we have eliminated natural bacteria populations from the ecosystems
N losses from the system
- leaching of soil N
- nitrification inhibitors
- Gaseous losses of soil N
N losses from the system
- leaching of soil N
- nitrification inhibitors
- Gaseous losses of soil N
Gaseous losses of soil N
Denitrification: change by bacteria of NH4 to N gas
- biological process
- can be most extensive gaseous N loss (esp. with poorly aerated/wet soils)
- rapid process
- substantial N loss can occur in
N losses from the system
- leaching of soil N
- nitrification inhibitors
- Gaseous losses of soil N
- Ammonia Volatilization
Three reasons large amounts of N lost:
- lack of adequate free O in the soil
- energy source of organic matter for the bacteria
- Warm, slightly acidic soils
Ammonia Volatilization
- occur when ammonium is in alkaline environment
- chemical process
- losses occur from surface applications of ammonium/urea (can be ~30%, normally
N loss is most extensive under the following conditions:
- high pH, calcareous soils
- fertilizer left on soil surface
- high temperatures
- Low CEC soils
Materials supplying N
- Ammonia and Aqueous N
- Solid fertilizers
- Ammonium Sulfate
- UAN
- Organic Wastes
- Controlled-Release N fertilizers
Materials supplying N
- Ammonia and Aqueous N
- Solid fertilizers
- Ammonium Sulfate
- UAN
- Organic Wastes
- Controlled-Release N fertilizers
Ammonia and Aqueous N: Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3)
- most common N fertilizer (>90% of all N fertilizers made up of some form of ammonia)
- 82% N
- Manufactured from atmospheric N using natural gas to supply H (Haber process); 1st usable fertilizer product of this process, other N fertilizers require more processing
Ammonia and Aqueous N: Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3)
- most common N fertilizer (>90% of all N fertilizers made up of some form of ammonia)
- 82% N
- Manufactured from atmospheric N using natural gas to supply H (Haber process); 1st usable fertilizer product of this process, other N fertilizers require more processing
Anhydrous Ammonia
- applied w/ chisels to ~5”
- pressured liquid in the tank, gas at atmospheric pressure
- least expensive N fertilizer (per unit N)
- Very dangerous to handle (burns, blindness, inhalation risks, safety precautions)
when using Anhydrous Ammonia
-keeo
when using Anhydrous Ammonia
- keep away from flames
- keep away from ammonia clouds
- have water available
- store in proper tanks, don’t overfill
- paint tanks white to reflect heat
- inspect tanks regularly for leaks/problems
Materials supplying N
- Ammonia and Aqueous N
- Solid fertilizers
- Ammonium Sulfate
- Organic Wastes
- Controlled-Release N fertilizers
Solid fertilizers
Uera
Ammonium Sulfate
Solid fertilizers
Uera
Ammonium Sulfate
UNA
Solid fertilizers
Uera
Ammonium Sulfate
UNA
Solid fertilizers: Uera
- synthetic, organic fertilizer
- cheaper per lb than any other solid N fertilizer
- 45% N
- Must be converted in the soil to NH4
- readily soluble and leachable
- stabilized and can be stored when converted in the soil to NH4
- Popular; cheapest solid N source, soluble in water, convenient for application in sprinkler, spray, solution
Solid fertilizers: Uera
- synthetic, organic fertilizer
- cheaper per lb than any other solid N fertilizer
- 45% N
- Must be converted in the soil to NH4
- readily soluble and leachable
- stabilized and can be stored when converted in the soil to NH4
- Popular; cheapest solid N source, soluble in water, convenient for application in sprinkler, spray, solution
Solid fertilizers: Ammonium Sulfate
- 21% N
- high cost
- less popular
- commonly used in rice
- Ammonium is all available to plant
- sulfate keeps it from being denitrified quickly
- Strongest acidic N fertilizer
Solid fertilizers: Ammonium Sulfate
- 21% N
- high cost
- less popular
- commonly used in rice
- Ammonium is all available to plant
- sulfate keeps it from being denitrified quickly
- Strongest acidic N fertilizer
Solid fertilizers: UAN
- Urea-Ammonium Nitrate solution
- 28% N or 32% N
Organic Wastes
- considered controlled-release fertilizers
- nutrient concentration is low
- depends on decomposition rates
- may carry undesirables (wees seed, diseases, soluble salts, etc.)
Controlled-Release N Fertilizers
- Standard N fertilize crop use rates ~40-70% (rest is leached, denitrified etc.)
- Slow-release N fertilizers used to control proportion of fertilizers available at one time
- More efficient use of N means more cost saving & less pollution
Controlled-Release N Fertilizers
- Standard N fertilize crop use rates ~40-70% (rest is leached, denitrified etc.)
- Slow-release N fertilizers used to control proportion of fertilizers available at one time
- More efficient use of N means more cost saving & less pollution
- slow release N products most commonly used in turf grass