What are Mineral Elements?

Mineral elements are inorganic compounds that are essential for the growth and development of plants. They are absorbed by plants through the soil and play a crucial role in various physiological processes, including photosynthesis, respiration, and metabolism.

Mineral elements can be divided into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are required in relatively large quantities, while micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts. There are essential macronutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S), and essential micronutrients like iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), and chlorine (Cl).

Criteria for Essential Minerals in Plants

• Essentiality: The mineral must be required for the normal growth and development of plants.
• Specificity: Each mineral must have a specific function that cannot be substituted by any other mineral.
• Direct involvement: The mineral must be directly involved in plant metabolism or play a structural role in plant tissues.
• Beneficial effect: The absence or deficiency of the mineral should lead to a specific disorder or growth inhibition.
• Universal occurrence: The mineral should be found in all plants or, at least, in a wide range of plant species.

Essential Mineral Elements NCERT Science Class-11: Essential mineral elements play a vital role in the growth and development of plants. Essential Mineral Elements, also known as mineral nutrients, are essential for various biochemical and physiological processes within plants. While carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are obtained from air and water, mineral elements are obtained from the soil and are crucial for the overall health and productivity of plants.