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Key Elements for Plant Nutrition

Key Elements for Plant Nutrition

Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the...

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.

Water and Mineral Acquisition

Water and Mineral Acquisition

Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.

Microbial Nutrition

Microbial Nutrition

Organisms exhibit remarkable metabolic diversity, categorized based on how they acquire energy and carbon. These strategies enable survival in various ecological niches and are essential for maintaining energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.Energy and Carbon SourcesOrganisms are classified as phototrophs or chemotrophs based on energy acquisition. Phototrophs use light as their energy source, while chemotrophs rely on oxidizing chemical compounds. Further differentiation arises...

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the...

Microorganisms in Agriculture and Food industry

Microorganisms in Agriculture and Food industry

Microorganisms play a crucial role in agriculture and the food industry, contributing to soil fertility, crop protection, and food production. Their functions range from nitrogen fixation and biopesticide production to fermentation and food preservation, making them indispensable to sustainable farming and food safety.Role in AgricultureNitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium (symbiotic) and Azotobacter (free-living), convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia through biological nitrogen...

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Updated: Nov 4, 2025

A Hydroponic Co-cultivation System for Simultaneous and Systematic Analysis of Plant/Microbe Molecular Interactions and Signaling

A Hydroponic Co-cultivation System for Simultaneous and Systematic Analysis of Plant/Microbe Molecular Interactions and Signaling

Published on: July 22, 2017

Interaction Between Macro- and Micro-Nutrients in Plants.

Suresh Kumar¹, Santosh Kumar², Trilochan Mohapatra³

¹Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.

Frontiers in Plant Science

|May 27, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Plants need essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, zinc, and iron for optimal growth. This review explores molecular interactions among these nutrients, crucial for improving crop efficiency and yield.

Keywords:

P-Fe-Zn tripartite interaction iron nutrient homeostasis nutrient interaction nutrient pathways interaction phosphorus sulfur zinc

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Two-Dimensional Visualization and Quantification of Labile, Inorganic Plant Nutrients and Contaminants in Soil

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Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements

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Two-Dimensional Visualization and Quantification of Labile, Inorganic Plant Nutrients and Contaminants in Soil

Two-Dimensional Visualization and Quantification of Labile, Inorganic Plant Nutrients and Contaminants in Soil

Published on: September 1, 2020

Area of Science:

Plant Physiology
Molecular Biology
Agricultural Science

Background:

Plant growth and productivity depend on essential nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe).
Nutrient deficiencies impair plant development and yield, with interactions between nutrients often studied in isolation.
Limited research exists on the molecular basis of multi-level nutrient interactions in plants.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advances in understanding how plants coordinate nutrient acquisition, transport, signaling, and interacting pathways for N, P, S, Fe, and Zn at the molecular level.
To highlight the role of key regulators, such as the phosphate starvation response 1 (PHR1) transcription factor, in maintaining homeostasis of multiple nutrients.
To emphasize the need for integrated studies on nutrient cross-talk for enhancing crop nutrient use efficiency and sustainable agriculture.

Main Methods:

Literature review focusing on molecular mechanisms of nutrient interactions.
Analysis of studies investigating plant responses to deficiencies of N, P, S, Fe, and Zn.
Identification of key transcription factors and genes involved in nutrient homeostasis and cross-talk.

Main Results:

Macro-nutrients (N, P, S) and micro-nutrients (Fe, Zn) exhibit complex interacting pathways.
The MYB-like transcription factor PHR1 is identified as a master regulator of N, P, S, Fe, and Zn homeostasis.
Light-responsive transcription factors also play a role in modulating plant nutrient responses.

Conclusions:

Understanding molecular interactions between macro- and micro-nutrients is vital for improving crop nutrient use efficiency and yield.
Identifying candidate genes involved in these interactions can aid breeders in developing more resilient crop varieties.
Integrated research on nutrient cross-talk is essential for sustainable agriculture, especially under changing climatic conditions.