Understanding Plants

Essentials of Life: Oxygen, Carbon, and Hydrogen

Plants are composed primarily of three elements, oxygen (O), carbon (C), and hydrogen (H). These combine during photosynthesis the plant's lifeblood, combines carbon dioxide with water, facilitated by sunlight, to produce oxygen and glucose (sugars).

In agriculture, it's important to understand the composition of plants to grow strong crops. Plants get their nutrients from soil, water, or fertilizers. Minerals come in two forms, soluble and insoluble. It is divine design that these two forms exist. If all minerals were soluble and existed in water our ocean would be full of minerals and there would be no life.

Because many needed minerals are insoluble in the soil, then they must be released before a plant can use them. Plants rely on a vast network of microbes to do this. Microscopic organisms break down soil and trade nutrients for glucose (simple sugars) with plants. This helps both parties thrive and specialize in their unique roles.

Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen make up around 96% of a plant's structure. Plants primarily obtain carbon and oxygen from carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by microbes through respiration, and a small amount from the surrounding air. Hydrogen is acquired from water and is combined with carbon and oxygen during photosynthesis to build the plant’s cellular structure.

Macronutrients: The Basics

Nitrogen is the next most abundant element in cellular structure. The gas that makes up 78% of our atmosphere is a stable form of nitrogen known as N2. Plants in nature get their nitrogen from breaking these stable N2 bonds. Nitrogen makes up 1.5% of the plants structure.

Nitrogen is essential for plant growth, serving as a key component in proteins, chlorophyll, and nucleic acids. It plays a crucial role in photosynthesis, enzyme activation, and the structural components of plant cells, influencing overall growth and development. While vital, maintaining a balanced nitrogen supply is important, as both excess and deficiency can adversely affect plant health.

These four elements, O, C, H, N, are all used by plants in gas forms and make up 97.5% of dry plant matter. The last 2.5% are all found in soil.

Secondary nutrients, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S), play a crucial role in enhancing crop resilience. Calcium fortifies cell structure, magnesium aids in enzyme activation, and sulfur contributes to chlorophyll synthesis. Balancing these secondary nutrients is akin to fortifying the crop's structural integrity.

Micronutrients: The Precision Players

In the agricultural arena, the role of micronutrients are the least understood by growers. These micronutrients make up less than .5% of the physical plant, but chemicals like iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), cobalt (Co), and boron (B) contribute to enzyme activation, photosynthesis, and overall metabolic functions. These trace elements, though required in small amounts, are non-negotiable for a crop's overall prosperity. Micronutrients availability controls the growth speed of a plant and affect the nutrients we obtain from plants.

As growers, the art lies in creating the perfect balance of these elements. Tailoring nutrient ratios to match the specific needs of your crops at different growth stages is the key to unlocking their full potential. This symphony of plant nutrition, encompassing macronutrients, secondary nutrients, micronutrients, and elemental essentials, is the roadmap to agricultural success.

Both the micro and macro nutrient elements are harvested by mycorrhizae and microbes along with other soluble soil minerals.

Our all natural products like NutriGuard Soil Stabilizer, and Soil Microbe Booster help to release mineral bonding in soil, increasing solubility, to feed both plants and microbes.

Here are a few questions growers sometimes have.

What is the role of microbes in releasing insoluble minerals for plant use?

How can I naturally maintain a balanced nitrogen supply in my crops without paying for nitrogen?

Why are micronutrients like cobalt essential for crops, and how can their availability be ensured?

We are here to help you. Call one of our qualified specialist to help you understand how to accomplish this at scale, what ratios your plants need, and when to deliver them.

Call (435) 557-0337 to start answering these questions.