● Whenever the `color{violet}"supply"`of an `color{Brown}"essential element"` becomes `color{violet}"limited"`, `color{Brown}"plant growth is retarded"`.
● The `color{violet}"concentration of the essential"` element below which plant growth is retarded is termed as `color{Brown}"Critical Concentration"`.
● The element is said to be `color{Brown}"deficient"` when present `color{violet}"below the critical concentration"`.
● Since each element has one or more specific `color{violet}"structural or functional role"` in plants, in the absence of any particular element, plants show `color{violet}"certain morphological changes"`.
● These `color{violet}"morphological changes"` are indicative of certain `color{violet}"element deficiencies"` and are called `color{Brown}"deficiency symptoms"`.
● The deficiency symptoms `color{violet}"vary from element to element"` and they disappear when the deficient `color{violet}"mineral nutrient is provided"` to the plant.
● However, if `color{violet}"deprivation continues"`, it may eventually lead to the `color{violet}"death of the plant"`.
● The parts of the plants that show the `color{violet}"deficiency symptoms"` also depend on the `color{violet}"mobility of the element"` in the plant.
● For elements that are `color{Brown}"actively mobilized"` within the plants and exported to young developing tissues, the deficiency symptoms tend to appear `color{violet}"first in the older tissues"`.
● For example, the deficiency symptoms of `color{Brown}"nitrogen, potassium"` and `color{Brown}"magnesium"` are visible first in the `color{violet}"senescent leaves"`.
● In the `color{violet}"older leaves"`, biomolecules containing these elements are `color{violet}"broken down"`, making these elements `color{violet}"available for mobilising"` to younger leaves.
● The deficiency symptoms tend to `color{violet}"appear first"` in the `color{violet}"young tissues"` whenever the elements are `color{Brown}"relatively immobile"` and are not transported out of the `color{violet}"mature organs"`, for example, elements like `color{Brown}"sulphur and calcium"` are a part of the `color{violet}"structural component"` of the cell and hence are not easily released.
● This aspect of `color{violet}"mineral nutrition"` of plants is of a great significance and importance to `color{violet}"agriculture and horticulture"`.
● The kind of `color{Brown}"deficiency symptoms"` shown in plants include `color{violet}"chlorosis, necrosis, stunted plant"` `color{violet}"growth, premature fall"` `color{violet}"of leaves and buds"`, and `color{violet}"inhibition of cell division"`.
● `color{Brown}"Chlorosis"` is the `color{violet}"loss of chlorophyll"` leading to `color{violet}"yellowing in leaves"`.
● This symptom is caused by the `color{violet}"deficiency of elements"` `color{Brown}"N, K, Mg, S"`, `color{Brown}"Fe, Mn, Zn"` and `color{Brown}"Mo"`.
● Likewise, `color{Brown}"necrosis"`, or `color{brown"death of tissue"`, particularly leaf tissue, is due to the deficiency of `color{violet}"Ca, Mg, Cu, K"`.
● Lack or low level of `color{Brown}"N, K, S, Mo"` causes an `color{violet}"inhibition of cell division"`.
● Some elements like `color{Brown}"N, S, Mo"` `color{Violet}"delay flowering"` if their concentration in plants is low.
● Thus the `color{Violet}"deficiency"` of any element can cause `color{Violet}"multiple symptoms"` and that the same symptoms may be caused by the deficiency of one of `color{Violet}"several different elements"`.
● Hence, to identify the `color{Violet}"deficient element"`, one has to study all the `color{Violet}"symptoms developed"` in all the various parts of the plant and compare them with the `color{Violet}"available standard tables"`.
● We must also be aware that `color{Violet}"different plants"` also respond differently to the `color{Violet}"deficiency of the"` `color{Violet}"same element."`
● Whenever the `color{violet}"supply"`of an `color{Brown}"essential element"` becomes `color{violet}"limited"`, `color{Brown}"plant growth is retarded"`.
● The `color{violet}"concentration of the essential"` element below which plant growth is retarded is termed as `color{Brown}"Critical Concentration"`.
● The element is said to be `color{Brown}"deficient"` when present `color{violet}"below the critical concentration"`.
● Since each element has one or more specific `color{violet}"structural or functional role"` in plants, in the absence of any particular element, plants show `color{violet}"certain morphological changes"`.
● These `color{violet}"morphological changes"` are indicative of certain `color{violet}"element deficiencies"` and are called `color{Brown}"deficiency symptoms"`.
● The deficiency symptoms `color{violet}"vary from element to element"` and they disappear when the deficient `color{violet}"mineral nutrient is provided"` to the plant.
● However, if `color{violet}"deprivation continues"`, it may eventually lead to the `color{violet}"death of the plant"`.
● The parts of the plants that show the `color{violet}"deficiency symptoms"` also depend on the `color{violet}"mobility of the element"` in the plant.
● For elements that are `color{Brown}"actively mobilized"` within the plants and exported to young developing tissues, the deficiency symptoms tend to appear `color{violet}"first in the older tissues"`.
● For example, the deficiency symptoms of `color{Brown}"nitrogen, potassium"` and `color{Brown}"magnesium"` are visible first in the `color{violet}"senescent leaves"`.
● In the `color{violet}"older leaves"`, biomolecules containing these elements are `color{violet}"broken down"`, making these elements `color{violet}"available for mobilising"` to younger leaves.
● The deficiency symptoms tend to `color{violet}"appear first"` in the `color{violet}"young tissues"` whenever the elements are `color{Brown}"relatively immobile"` and are not transported out of the `color{violet}"mature organs"`, for example, elements like `color{Brown}"sulphur and calcium"` are a part of the `color{violet}"structural component"` of the cell and hence are not easily released.
● This aspect of `color{violet}"mineral nutrition"` of plants is of a great significance and importance to `color{violet}"agriculture and horticulture"`.
● The kind of `color{Brown}"deficiency symptoms"` shown in plants include `color{violet}"chlorosis, necrosis, stunted plant"` `color{violet}"growth, premature fall"` `color{violet}"of leaves and buds"`, and `color{violet}"inhibition of cell division"`.
● `color{Brown}"Chlorosis"` is the `color{violet}"loss of chlorophyll"` leading to `color{violet}"yellowing in leaves"`.
● This symptom is caused by the `color{violet}"deficiency of elements"` `color{Brown}"N, K, Mg, S"`, `color{Brown}"Fe, Mn, Zn"` and `color{Brown}"Mo"`.
● Likewise, `color{Brown}"necrosis"`, or `color{brown"death of tissue"`, particularly leaf tissue, is due to the deficiency of `color{violet}"Ca, Mg, Cu, K"`.
● Lack or low level of `color{Brown}"N, K, S, Mo"` causes an `color{violet}"inhibition of cell division"`.
● Some elements like `color{Brown}"N, S, Mo"` `color{Violet}"delay flowering"` if their concentration in plants is low.
● Thus the `color{Violet}"deficiency"` of any element can cause `color{Violet}"multiple symptoms"` and that the same symptoms may be caused by the deficiency of one of `color{Violet}"several different elements"`.
● Hence, to identify the `color{Violet}"deficient element"`, one has to study all the `color{Violet}"symptoms developed"` in all the various parts of the plant and compare them with the `color{Violet}"available standard tables"`.
● We must also be aware that `color{Violet}"different plants"` also respond differently to the `color{Violet}"deficiency of the"` `color{Violet}"same element."`