March 22, 2022 – Like all living organisms, vegetables need nutrients for their proper growth and development. But where do they get their mineral nutrients from? March 22, 2022 Sustainable, Secure Food Blog explains how nutrients get into your vegetables.
According to blogger Carlos B. Pires, “The answer is from the soil. The three processes responsible for nutrients from the soil reach the plant are diffusion, mass transport, and root interception.”
Diffusion
When the concentration of nutrients is higher in the soil than in the plant root, then the nutrients in the soil will move from a region of higher concentration (soil) to a region of lower concentration (vegetable). Potassium and phosphorus are examples of nutrients that get into the vegetables by diffusion.
Mass transport
Nutrients move to the roots via water. As plants transpire water, it draws water and nutrients from the soil up through the root system. Mass transport accounts for nutrient acquisition of mobile nutrients, such as nitrogen and sulfur.
Root interception
Vegetable roots grow through the soil to meet nutrients. As the root grows through the soil it generally only comes in contact with about 1% of soil volume. Good soil structure is essential in the process of root interception. Soil compaction can significantly limit root growth and interception with nutrients throughout the soil. Some important macro and micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and zinc are absorbed by root interception.
Of course, some nutrients are absorbed in more than one way. For example, iron and zinc can be absorbed by three different methods. As you can see, there are a lot of variables that may impact how vegetable acquire their nutrients.
To read the entire blog, visit https://sustainable-secure-food-blog.com/2022/03/22/how-do-nutrients-get-into-my-vegetables/
About us: This blog is sponsored and written by members of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America. Members are researchers and trained, certified professionals in the areas of growing the world’s food supply while protecting the environment. Members work at universities, government research facilities, and private businesses across the United States and the world.
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Credit: Carlos Bonini Pires
Caption: A demonstration of how nutrients come from soil. Some nutrients like potassium and phosphorus move from the soil into plant roots by diffusion. Others like nitrogen and sulfur move by mass transport. Once in the plant, nutrients move through the plant’s vascular system. Demonstration field by Carlos Bonini Pires, Kansas State University.
Credit: Carlos Bonini Pires
Caption: A radish plant with soil pulled aside to demonstrate the root system. Plants get their nutrients from the soil – and if the soil is deficient in nutrients, the resulting crop will be too.
Credit: Jim Toomey
Caption: An illustration of a soybean plant growing in nutrient-rich soil, producing nutrient-rich soybeans on the left. On the right, a soil that has fewer nutrients will result in soybeans with less nutrients.
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