Note the various forms of N - 1. Ammonium (NH4+) cation in the soil solution and fixed in secondary
clays
2. Nitrate (NO3-) anion in the soil solution
3. Organic N in the soil
4. Ammonia (NH3) gas (released to atmosphere)
5. NO, N2O, N2 gases (released to atmosphere)
anion- nitrogen - it is not held by soil colloids and can be lost from the soil
through leaching. However in well aerated soils (plenty of oxygen), most of the NH4+-N
(applied for example as fertilizer) changes to the NO3--N form by a process called nitrification
cation-nitrogen - it can be held on the exchange sites of soil colloids which makes it available for plant
uptake over a long period of
time.
Describe one reaction that leads to loss of N from the soil: - Nitrate leaching into ground
water.
symbiotic N2 fixation that occurs between legumes and rhizobium
species. - Host plant supplies the N fixing organisms with fixed C (photosynthate which is used for
respiration and N2 fixation), and the host plant benefits from the fixed N.
N2 fixation is a reduction reaction and happens in the nodule in a completely anaerobic environment
inorganic P - found in insoluble compounds in the soil
, N is found in two forms: - 1) Ammonium (NH4+) - cation
2) Nitrate (NO3-) - anion
NH4 and NO3 in soil solution constitute about 1% of N in the soil. Again most of the N in soils is in
organic forms.
Due to rapid nitrification in soils, plants absorb predominately NO3.
Some plants prefer N in the NH4 form for example rice. Other plans that grow under acidic conditions
seem to prefer NH4 too.
ATP - adenosine triphosphate (drives most energy-requiring biochemical processes ex uptake of
nutrient)
DNA - DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid (genetic inheritance)
RNA - RNA - Ribonucleic acid (protein synthesis in plants and animals)
Finally P content in plants: - 0.1 - 0.4% in plant tissue depending on plant.
Plants' P uptake ranges between 6-26 kg/ha or 5-23 lbs/acre of P.
Please note that 1% = 10 000 ppm (mg/ kg) so 0.1% is = 1000 mg P/ kg of plant tissue
P deficiency - 1.Stunted growth; thin stemmed dark foliage (bluish green)
2. Purple discoloration on lower leaves (P is mobile in plant therefore deficiency symptoms appear on
lower leaves)
3. In severe cases, yellowing and senescence of leaves.
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