Soil Science (Soil and Plant Nutrition) Flashcards
Fundamental materials of which all matter is composed.
Elements
Any substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical processes.
Elements
A substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life.
Nutrient
Three criteria for essential nutrients
1.) A deficiency of it makes it impossible for the plant to complete the vegetative or reproductive stage of its life cycle
2.) Such deficiency is specific to the element in question, and can be prevented or corrected only by supplying this element.
3) The element is directly involved in the nutrition of the plant.
Enumerate the beneficial elements
Sodium
Silicon
Cobalt
Beneficial elements are not necessary to a plant life cycle but they can improve the plant’s performances under optimal or stressful conditions.
Beneficial elements can improve plant health at low concentrations but has toxic effects at high concentrations.
Frame work elements
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
2 classification of mineral elements
Macronutrients and Micronutrients
Macronutrients are further divided into 2:
Primary Nutrients and Secondary Nutrients
Enumerate the Primary nutrients
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Enumerate the secondary nutrients
Calcium
Magnesium
Sulphur
Enumerate the 8 micronutrients
Zinc
Copper
Manganese
Iron
Boron
Molybdenum
Chlorine
Nickel
1% = _______ ppm
10,000
100 ppm = _____%
0.01%
Nitrogen is absorbed by plants in the form of _____ and _______.
NO3 (Nitrate)
NH4 (Ammonium)
Sulfur is absorbed in the form of
SO4(-2) / Sulfate
Phosphorus is absorbed in the form of
H2PO4 and HPO4 / Phosphate
Mobile elements
N, P, K, Mg
Immobile elements
Ca, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn
Deficiency of mobile elements occur in the ________ growth, while immobile element deficiency occur in the ____ growth.
Old growth; New Growth
General symptoms of nitrogen deficiency is reduced growth and chlorosis
Phosphorus deficiency symptoms in corn
- Purple or reddish color in older leaves
- Overall stunting that may persist throughout the season
- Lower yield
- Most often occur in young plants
Sulfur deficiency symptoms
- Chlorosis, but on younger leaves first
- Delayed maturity
- Stunting
Nutrient uptake by plants
- Root interception
- Mass flow
- Diffusion
This is the most important form of movement for most cations, especially nutrients like P and K
Diffusion
Sources of Essential Elements in Soil
- Organic matter
- Soil minerals
- Adsorbed nutrients
- Others: rainfall, fertilizer application
This is the major source of nutrients for the plants and is the source that is most easily controlled by man.
Adsorbed nutrients
It is the element that limits plant growth and used by plants in largest quantities.
Nitrogen
The source for all nitrogen (70%)
Atmosphere
- Component of al proteins, enzymes, and chlorophyll
- Regulates the use of K, P, etc.
- Has the quickest and most pronounced effect on plants
- Very mobile in nitrate form
Nitrogen
Sources of nitrogen
- Legumes (Rhizobium)
- Plant residue (C/N ratio)
- Animal residue
- Rain (oxide forms of N made by lightning are brought to the soil)
- Industrial wastes
- Fertilizers
It is the conversion of atmospheric N2 to NH3 in cells. It represents a major input of N to many soils.
Nitrogen fixation
The process of converting Soil organic N to NH4.
Ammonification / Mineralization
Process of transforming NH4 to NO3
It is the microbial oxidation of ammonium (NH4) to nitrate (NO3) occurs under aerobic conditions.
Nitrification
Process of transforming NO3 to N2
Denitrification
Plant nitrogen turn into soil organic nitrogen through ______.
Decomposition
Microbial nitrogen will turn into soil organic nitrogen through _____.
Decomposition
Through non-symbiotic N fixation, N2 will turn into _______.
Microbial N
Through symbiotic N-fixation, N2 will turn into ______.
Plant Nitrogen
NH4 and NO3 will turn into Microbial N through ____.
Immobilization
NH4 and NO4 will turn into Plant N through ________.
N Uptake
It is the incorporation of N to microbial bodies
Immobilization
The conversion of mineral N (nitrate and ammonium) to the organic form.
Immobilization
Reduction of NO3 to N2, NO, and N2O
Denitrification
__________ is carried out by facultative anaerobic bacteria and requires wet, anaerobic, reducing condition.
Denitrification
Excess nitrite will cause
- decreasing biodiversity
- favoring new species invasion
- production of toxins
_________ is the loss of nitrogen as gaseous ammonia (NH3)
Volatilization