What is the importance of Nitrogen in various crops?
Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients required for crop production. The application of fertilizer N results in increased growth and higher biomass yields. In cereals, it affects the milling properties.
In oil seeds, protein content increases, but this harms oil content. Vegetables show varied effects. High N levels produce the firmest fruit with the highest total soluble solids and dry matter content. In fruits, nitrogen affects several quality aspects such as size, shape, colour, texture, flavour, and composition.
In horticultural crops, large amounts of fertilizers are being used to maintain high production levels of quantity and quality. Nitrogen in excess quantities is also toxic and can have adverse effects on the quality of economic production.
Plants that are deficient in nitrogen have stunted growth, depending on the severity of the deficiency. Leaf growth is inhibited; younger leaves are inhibited in particular. Longitudinal shoot growth is inhibited, as is the increase in thickness.
Deficient plants often become pale green to yellowish-green due to inhibited chloroplast and chlorophyll synthesis. Leaves start to wither and dry out, turning yellowish brown to brown.
What is the importance of phosphorus in crops?
Phosphorus (P) is required in plants for photosynthesis, respiration, seed production, root growth, and other critical functions.
Because of the fundamental importance of P as an essential element in plants, crop production can be severely limited when P is deficient due to inadequate supply in the soil.
Plants deficient in phosphorus are stunted in growth and often have an abnormal dark-green colour.
What is the importance of calcium in crops?
Calcium is another key nutrient in crop growth. Symptoms of calcium deficiency first appear on younger leaves and tissues, growth is inhibited, and plants have a bushy appearance.
The youngest leaves are usually small and misshapen with brown chlorotic spots developing along the margins, which spread to eventually unite in the centre of the leaves.
Veins are also brown, making a typical feature of Ca-deficient plants the dark veins of completely necrotic leaves. Leaves also may be crinkled and torn. The growth of root tips is inhibited in Ca-deficient plants. Read Also: the difference between organic and inorganic fertilizers
What is the importance of potassium in crops?
Potassium is associated with the movement of water, nutrients and carbohydrates in plant tissue. Potassium helps plants grown for their fruiting and flowering, including rose bushes and fruit trees, rather than plants grown for their foliage, such as spinach, lettuce and Swiss chard.
Potassium-deficient plants are easily distinguished by their tendency to wilt on dry, sunny days. The overall appearance of the plant is wilted or drooping. Deficient plants will have a stocky appearance with short internodes.
Younger leaves’ growth is inhibited, and they have small leaf blades. Leaves may also be dark to bluish-green, have a bronze metallic shine, or have a wavy appearance. In some species, older leaves show blotchy chlorosis. In monocots such as maize, leaves may have inverted V-shaped chlorosis.
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