Plant Nutrition and Growth

Plants Acquire Nutrients Autotrophic (make their own organic compounds) Photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide, sunlight, and water to oxygen and glucose. Mineral nutrients obtained from soil moisture through roots. Light and CO2 obtained through leaves. Variable environment in concentrations of water, sunlight, and nutrients.

Macronutrients: 1 g/kg of dry matter Micronutrients: 100 mg/kg of dry matter Plants supply almost all of the nutrients needed by horses

Roles of Soil Soils contain water, air, and inorganic and organic substances. It has three horizontal zones called horizons. Topsoil forms the uppermost (A) horizon. Topsoil tends to lose mineral nutrients through leaching. Formed by rock weathering and humus production.

Sources of Nutrients Positively charged K, Mg, NH4, and Ca ions are bound to negatively charged clay. CO2 in roots moves to soil water and reacts to form H2CO3, which ionizes to H= and HCO3-. The H+ ions displace other cations from the clay particles. Cations are mostly in the A horizon.

Soil deciencies can be rectied by Adding chemical fertilizer. Adding [decomposed] manure and plowing down crops. Liming acidic soil. 5-10-10 fertilizer = % nitrogen - % phosphate (P2O5) - % potash (K2O) How do organic and mineral fertilizers differ? Speed of nutrient release. Organic is slower Concentration of nutrients. Organic is lower. Contribution to soil structure. Organic matter helps keep pores open, which helps soil structure (air and water can move through it). Ease of formulation to meet crop requirement. pH Optimal soil pH for most crops is 6.5.

Blueberries thrive at 4. Near coniferous trees (needles are very acidic). Decomposing organic material and acid rain lower pH. Calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate are lime sources that raise pH. Some contribute Ca++. Sulphur contributes to sulphuric acid to lower pH. Liming helps make soils less acidic. How does nitrogen get from air to plant cells? Nitrogen-xing bacteria live free in the soil; others live symbiotically as bacteroids within plant roots. Nitrogen gas (N2) is reduced to ammonia (NH3) or ammonium ions (NH4+), catalyzed by nitrogenase. Nitrogenase requires anaerobic conditions, but the bacteroids in root nodules require oxygen. Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria Free-living soil bacteria x N for own use, die, and release xed N. Mutualistic, symbiotic bacteria live with roots; contributing xed N and obtaining hi E cpds. Rhizobium genus is mutualistic with legumes. Rhizobia species are specic for each species of legume plant.

Mycorrhizae Root-fungus associations. Fungus increases absorption of water and minerals, especially P. Regulation of Plant Growth Environmental cues (temperature, water, light, etc.)

Receptors (e.g. photoreceptors) Hormones mediate effects of environmental cues. Genome encodes enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions. Recall regulators of gene function. Photoreceptors Pigments that absorb light Protein kinase cascades amplify responses to signals Cell division, cell expansion, differentiation Phototropism is growth of plant shoots towards light or roots away from it. Charles Darwin and son discovered light causes coleoptile to bend toward light.

How do these roles of auxin relate to grazing management?

Stimulation of shoot and root growth due to phototropism and gravitropism. Grazing animal bites top (and apical bud) off a plant. What happens? Auxin levels go down and axillary buds grow. Be careful where you spray synthetic auxin (2,4-D) Used on plants to grow so fast that they use up all of their energy reserves and kill themselves (it is similar to auxin).