What do we use plants for?

TO BEGIN WITH.
1

Which of the following came from plants?

2 4 3

What do plants need for a balanced diet?

Plants need carbon dioxide and water for photosynthesis. Do they need any other nutrients to keep healthy?

Just like humans, plants need a balanced diet that includes small amounts of mineral elements. What mineral elements do they need?

What Minerals do plants need?

Plants need mineral elements for healthy growth. Some of the most important minerals needed by plants are:

nitrogen
phosphorus potassium magnesium
How do plants obtain these minerals?

nitrates phosphates potassium ions magnesium ions

The mineral elements are found in salts dissolved in water. Plants obtain minerals when they absorb water from the soil.
What type of salt are each of these elements found in?

What are minerals needed for?

How do plants use these mineral elements?

Mineral element How mineral is used in plants nitrogen (N) phosphorus (P) potassium (K) magnesium (Mg) making leaves making roots making flowers and fruit making chlorophyll

Plant and minerals summary activity

Where do minerals come from?

What are the sources of minerals in the soil? Rocks: The minerals in rocks are slowly dissolved by slightly acidic rainwater. These minerals are washed into the soil.
Natural fertilizers: Animal faeces and the decay of dead plants and animals return minerals to the soil. Artificial fertilizers: These contain a ready-made mixture of the minerals needed by plants.

Why do farmers add fertilizers to their soil?

Not enough minerals!

What happens if plants do not get enough minerals? Plants do not grow properly if they are deprived of minerals and begin to look unhealthy.

If a plant does not get enough of a mineral it is said to have a mineral deficiency. Do mineral deficiencies affect a plant in the same way?

Mineral deficiency no nitrogen!

Nitrogen is used for making leaves and is probably the most important mineral for plant growth. What is the effect of nitrogen deficiency?

upper leaves pale green

lower leaves yellow and dead weak stem

Mineral deficiency no phosphorus!

Phosphorus is used for making roots and is important for all the other minerals used by plants.

What is the effect of phosphorus deficiency?

purple leaves

small roots

Mineral deficiency no potassium!

Potassium is used for making flowers and fruit, so crops are given extra potassium before they start to fruit. What is the effect of potassium deficiency?

poor flower and fruit growth yellow leaves with dead spots

Mineral deficiency no magnesium!

Magnesium is used for making chlorophyll and so is vital for the process of photosynthesis. What is the effect of magnesium deficiency?

upper leaves normal (leaves turn yellow from bottom upwards) lower leaves pale green or yellow

Mineral deficiency experiment

Plant and minerals summary

Complete this table of plant mineral needs and deficiencies.

Mineral
nitrogen

Use in plant
making leaves

Deficiency signs
stunted growth and yellow leaves poor roots and purple leaves yellow leaves with dead spots leaves turn yellow from the bottom

phosphorus making roots potassium making flowers and fruits

magnesium making chlorophyll