Quote: "Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical elements and compounds necessary for plant growth and reproduction, plant metabolism, and their external supply."
The study of how plants acquire and utilize nutrients from the soil, water, and air, including the role of fertilizers and other soil amendments.
Soil Science: Understanding soil texture, structure, pH, and nutrient content is crucial in horticulture as plants derive most of their nutrients from soil.
Plant Physiology: The study of how plants function, their growth, development, and metabolic processes is important in understanding plant nutrition.
Fertilizers: Understanding the chemistry of fertilizers, their composition, and how they affect plant growth is important in developing an efficient fertilization program for plants.
Nutrient Management: Understanding the nutrient requirements of plants, nutrient deficiencies and toxicities, and how to manage fertilizer applications to prevent nutrient imbalances is essential in horticulture.
Organic and Sustainable Farming: The use of organic and sustainable farming practices, including crop rotation, composting, and the use of cover crops, can improve soil health and plant nutrition.
Hydroponics: Hydroponic systems are used to grow plants in nutrient-rich solutions without soil. Understanding the principles of hydroponics is important in the production of high-quality plants.
Plant-Microbe Interactions: Beneficial microbes can enhance plant growth and nutrient uptake, while harmful microbes can negatively impact plant health. Understanding plant-microbe interactions is important in developing sustainable plant production systems.
Plant Nutrient Uptake: Understanding how plants absorb nutrients from the soil, transport them throughout the plant, and store them in plant tissues is important in developing effective fertilizer management practices.
Soil Fertility: Understanding soil fertility and how to improve it through amendments, such as manure and compost, is important in maintaining healthy soil and plant nutrition.
Crop Nutrition: Different crops have different nutrient requirements. Understanding the specific nutrient needs of specific crops is important in maximizing plant growth and productivity.
Hydroponics: Growing plants in water without using soil.
Aquaponics: A combination of aquaculture and hydroponics in which fish waste is converted to nutrients for plants to grow.
Aeroponics: A method of growing plants in a mist environment without the use of soil or a hydroponic medium.
Soil-based cultivation: Growing plants in soil with proper fertilization.
Foliar feeding: Spraying a solution of water and fertilizer directly onto the leaves of plants for quick absorption.
Slow release fertilizers: Fertilizers that release nutrients slowly, over a longer period of time.
Organic fertilizers: Fertilizers derived from natural sources such as animal waste, bone meal, compost, and blood meal.
Liquid fertilizers: Fertilizers that are dissolved in water and applied directly to plants.
Chemical fertilizers: Fertilizers that are manufactured from synthetic chemicals.
Mineral and nutrient solutions: Nutrient solutions that are applied to plants in hydroponic or soilless growing systems.
Composting: The process of breaking down organic waste into nutrient-rich soil.
Mulching: Covering the soil around plants with organic materials to retain moisture and add nutrients.
Companion planting: Planting certain crops together to benefit each other's growth and prevent pest problems.
Crop rotation: Alternating the types of plants grown in a field or garden to prevent nutrient depletion and pest build-up.
Integrated Pest Management: A strategy to minimize pests and harmful bacteria by using natural methods such as predators, traps or beneficial insects.
Quote: "In its absence, the plant is unable to complete a normal life cycle, or that the element is part of some essential plant constituent or metabolite. This is in accordance with Justus von Liebig’s law of the minimum."
Quote: "The total essential plant nutrients include seventeen different elements: carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen... nitrogen... and other nutrients."
Quote: "Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen [nutrients] are absorbed from the air."
Quote: "Nitrogen [nutrient] is typically obtained from the soil."
Quote: "The macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg)."
Quote: "The micronutrients (or trace minerals): iron (Fe), boron (B), chlorine (Cl), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni)."
Quote: "Plants absorb these elements as ions."
Quote: "The macronutrients are taken-up in larger quantities;... hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon contribute to over 95% of a plant's entire biomass."
Quote: "Micronutrients are present in plant tissue in quantities measured in parts per million, ranging from 0.1 to 200 ppm, or less than 0.02% dry weight."
Quote: "Most soil conditions across the world can provide plants adapted to that climate and soil with sufficient nutrition for a complete life cycle."
Quote: "However, if the soil is cropped, it is necessary to artificially modify soil fertility through the addition of fertilizer to promote vigorous growth and increase or sustain yield."
Quote: "This is done because, even with adequate water and light, nutrient deficiency can limit growth and crop yield."
Quote: "Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen [nutrients] are absorbed from the air, whereas other nutrients including nitrogen are typically obtained from the soil."
Quote: "The total essential plant nutrients include seventeen different elements... The macronutrients and the micronutrients (or trace minerals)."
Quote: "Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon contribute to over 95% of a plant's entire biomass."
Quote: "Micronutrients are present in plant tissue in quantities measured in parts per million, ranging from 0.1 to 200 ppm, or less than 0.02% dry weight."
Quote: "In its absence, the plant is unable to complete a normal life cycle."
Quote: "Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen [are absorbed from the air], whereas other nutrients including nitrogen are typically obtained from the soil."
Quote: "It is necessary to artificially modify soil fertility through the addition of fertilizer to promote vigorous growth and increase or sustain yield."