Keywords
Mineral nutrients · Nutrient stress · Root architecture · Molecular regulators ·
Nutrient use efficiency
Abbreviations
KUE
Potassium use efficiency
NRT
Nitrate transporters
NUE
Nutrient use efficiency
NitUE
Nitrate use efficiency
PHT
Phosphate transporter
PUE
Phosphate use efficiency
RSA
Root system architecture
SUE
Sulfate use efficiency
SULTR Sulfate transporters
5.1
Introduction
Plants are aptly called the miners of earth crust as they are one of the first link
through which minerals are captured from soil and introduced into biosphere. Most
other life forms are directly or indirectly dependent on plants for all their requirement
of mineral nutrients. Plants uptake mineral nutrients through root systems through
intricate and finely balanced molecular and physiological mechanisms; once inside
the root, minerals are transported to other plant parts for assimilation and storage.
Several investigations have established direct positive correlation between the presence of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur (NPKS) along with other
mineral nutrients, with quality as well as quantity of plant growth, adaptability,
and productivity. In the past decades, the goal of increasing plant productivity has
led agriculturists and farmers towards excessive use of mineral fertilizers. However,
their excessive and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has caused extensive
damage to soil and water through run-offs (Guignard et al. 2017). In order to
minimize further environmental damage, the present current emphasis is towards
identification of molecular genetic components involved in the process of mineral
nutrient uptake and assimilation, and through manipulation of plant root architecture
to achieve optimal growth and productivity. Study of mineral nutrition is, therefore,
now central to agriculture, environment conservation, and health.
Elements which have clear physiological roles and absence of which adversely
hampers the completion of life cycle of plants are termed as essential elements. A
total of nineteen essential elements have been described; out of which three are
obtained from water or air (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) while rest of them are
132
E. Bhardwaj et al.
Mineral nutrients · Nutrient stress · Root architecture · Molecular regulators ·
Nutrient use efficiency
Abbreviations
KUE
Potassium use efficiency
NRT
Nitrate transporters
NUE
Nutrient use efficiency
NitUE
Nitrate use efficiency
PHT
Phosphate transporter
PUE
Phosphate use efficiency
RSA
Root system architecture
SUE
Sulfate use efficiency
SULTR Sulfate transporters
5.1
Introduction
Plants are aptly called the miners of earth crust as they are one of the first link
through which minerals are captured from soil and introduced into biosphere. Most
other life forms are directly or indirectly dependent on plants for all their requirement
of mineral nutrients. Plants uptake mineral nutrients through root systems through
intricate and finely balanced molecular and physiological mechanisms; once inside
the root, minerals are transported to other plant parts for assimilation and storage.
Several investigations have established direct positive correlation between the presence of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur (NPKS) along with other
mineral nutrients, with quality as well as quantity of plant growth, adaptability,
and productivity. In the past decades, the goal of increasing plant productivity has
led agriculturists and farmers towards excessive use of mineral fertilizers. However,
their excessive and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has caused extensive
damage to soil and water through run-offs (Guignard et al. 2017). In order to
minimize further environmental damage, the present current emphasis is towards
identification of molecular genetic components involved in the process of mineral
nutrient uptake and assimilation, and through manipulation of plant root architecture
to achieve optimal growth and productivity. Study of mineral nutrition is, therefore,
now central to agriculture, environment conservation, and health.
Elements which have clear physiological roles and absence of which adversely
hampers the completion of life cycle of plants are termed as essential elements. A
total of nineteen essential elements have been described; out of which three are
obtained from water or air (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) while rest of them are
132
E. Bhardwaj et al.