There are opposite and positive relationships between the nutrients that are present in the soil or that we give to the soil with chemical fertilizers. These relationships affect the uptake of these nutrients by the plant roots and their transport within the plant by the vascular bundles and their functions.
Environmental factors and soil properties have an effect on the relationships between plant nutrients. These effects are as follows:
Soil Factors:
- Soil pH
- Soil salinity
- The amount of nutrients in the soil
- Moisture (moisture) in the soil
- Soil aeration (soil oxygen)
- Light and sunbathing
- Ambient temperature
Plant Factors:
- Plant root feature
- Plant water loss by respiration and transpiration
- The genotype (hereditary) characteristic of the plant
Although there are many mineral elements in the plant, the functions of about 25 of the nutrients that serve in plant nutrition are known today. Among these nutrients, those containing the most Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) have been used in fertilizers containing calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S) in recent years. In addition to these, elements such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo) and cobalt (Co), which we define as micronutrients, especially foliar fertilizers and drip irrigation. It can be given to plants with fertilizers.
After the plant nutrients are applied to the soil, they dissolve (melt) in the soil water and have (+) and (-) electrical charges. Those with (+) electric charge are called cations, and those with (-) electric charge are called anions. No matter what chemical fertilizer is applied to the soil, both (+) and (-) electric charges occur. These electrical charges show their effects on the root surface of the plants and inside the plant. Relationships between two or more elements can be between cations, between anions, and between cations and anions. These relationships can be either positive or negative. In some cases, no effect may occur.
