Question

Nutrients are essential for the growth of plants. Mention the role of nitrogen and phosphorus in that process.

Answer 1

The chemical substances present in food which act as a raw material for bodybuilding and maintaining its functions are termed as nutrients. Nutrients are essential for the growth of plants. Plants require nutrients for their growth, development, structure, physiology and reproduction.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are macronutrients. They are nutrient elements present in plants in easily detectable quantities. They build up the plant body and different protoplasmic constituents.

• Role of nitrogen: It is one of the major constituents of proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins and hormones. Being a component of such a large number of biomolecules, nitrogen is essential for all types of metabolic activities, photosynthesis, respiration, cell growth, cell division and reproductive growth.
• Role of phosphorus: It is a constituent of cell membranes, certain proteins, nucleotides, nucleic acids, ATP, NADP and nucleoproteins. It is required for all phosphorylation reactions.