Minerals in Plants (Cambridge O Level Biology)

• Photosynthesis produces carbohydrates, which can be converted into other types of molecule, but the products of photosynthesis alone do not allow plants to produce all of the molecules they need, e.g.
  • The element nitrogen is needed to build amino acids, which form proteins
    • Plants access nitrogen in the form of nitrate ions
  • Magnesium is needed to produce chlorophyll
• Plants obtain additional elements in the form of mineral ions actively absorbed from the soil by root hair cells
  • Mineral is a term used to describe any naturally occurring inorganic substance
• Plants that do not have a source of nitrates will be unable to produce amino acids and build proteins, so they will have reduced growth
• Plants with a shortage of magnesium will be unable to produce chlorophyll, so they may appear yellow and will also have reduced growth due to a lack of photosynthesis

Plant mineral deficiency diagram

Plants that do not have a supply of minerals, such as magnesium ions and nitrate ions, will show reduced growth