Plants Nutrition:

Modes of nutrition: Heterotrophs (humans) Autotrophs (Green Plants) Chemoautotrophs (Organisms at volcanoes) Photosynthesis: -The process of which plants makes food. -Light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into chemical energy in the form of complex organic molecules (carbohydrates) from water and carbon dioxide. -Oxygen is released. - 6CO2 +12H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O

Chlorophyll: -A pigment in plants that absorbed sunlight -Makes leaves green

Factors required for photosynthesis: -Sunlight -Carbon Dioxide -Water -Chlorophyll -Temperature Occurs in 2 stages: -Light-dependant / Light stage -Light-independent / Dark stage

In the light stage:

-Light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into chemical energy -Photolysis occurs (Light energy splits the water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen)

In the dark stage:

-Hydrogen produced in photolysis is used to reduce carbon dioxide into carbohydrates (Glucose) -Energy required for this process to take place comes from the light stage. -As formation of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide does not require light (Dark Stage) -The reaction is catalysed by enzymes.

Light is absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into chemical energy.

Water is absorbed by roots and travel up the xylem into the leaves (splits into hydrogen atom and oxygen) Carbon dioxide diffuses from the air into the stomata, combines with hydrogen from water to form glucose

Chlorophyll: -Chlorophyll a and b -However, chlorophyll a is the primary or the main.

 External limiting factors -Light intensity -Concentration of carbon dioxide -Temperature -Water availability Importance of Carbon Dioxide: 1.The more the carbon dioxide a plant is given, the faster the plants can photosynthesis.
2.

3.

Up to a certain point, the increase in the carbon dioxide concentration has no effect on the rate of photosynthesis. This is when the carbon dioxide is no longer a limiting factor. Other factors such as temperature have become the limiting factor.

Importance of Light:

1.Given that the carbon dioxide concentration is at 0.03% (normal condition) 2.Till a certain point of light intensity, the light is the limiting factor. The plant is limited in how much it can photosynthesis because it does not have enough light. When the plant is given more light, the rate of synthesis increases. 3. Up to a certain point, light is no longer a limiting factor. Even if more light is shone onto the plant, it still cannot photosynthesis

anymore because the plant already has as much light as it can use. 4.when there is no light, the plant cannot photosynthesise Compensation point: -Rate of photosynthesis = Rate of respiration -Amt of carbon dioxide = amt of carbon dioxide produced in respiration -Amt of oxygen produced photosynthesis = Amt of oxygen taken in during respiration Importance of temperature 1. In the light-independent stage, enzymes controlled the reactions. 2.Up to a certain point of time, the higher the temperature, the faster the rate of reaction. 3. However, if the temperature is too high, the enzymes in the plant will denature. 4. Low temperature rate of chemical reactions is very slow Importance of water availability 1. Water is needed for the conversion of carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen. Glucose Used in tissue respiration to release energy for cellular activities, or for formation of cellulose cell walls. Sucrose Transported to storage organs Importance of photosynthesis -Food for animals -Convert light into chemical energy

-Formation of fossil fuels -Removes carbon dioxide from air -Produces oxygen to sustain all life form

Leaf structure and function: Lamina: -Large and flat to increase surface area to volume ratio. -To receive maximum amount of sunlight for photosynthesis -Thin Sunlight can easily penetrate to the inner layers. -Allows rapid diffusion of carbon dioxide into inner layers.

Petiole: -Holds the lamina away from the stem -Leaves that do not have petioles have long lamiae instead.

-Allows lamina to get as much sunlight. -Short stems that attaches leaf to main stem or branch. -Hold leaves in position to absorb maximum sunlight. -Running through it are vascular bundles which forms the veins of a leaf. Network of vein: -Veins carry water and mineral salts to the cells in the lamina and carry manufactured food from these cells to other parts of the plant. Leave arrangements: -Leaves may grow in pairs or singly in an alternate arrangement to form general pattern.

MINERALS:
-Macronutrients(large) -Micronutrients (minute amount) Include: -nitrogen -phosphorus -sulfur -magnesium -potassium -calcium Deficiency of nitrogen: -Component of chlorophyll, amino acid and proteins -Proteins are important - Symptoms:

-Lack of green color in the leaves (the leaves appear to be yellowish) and loss of the lower leaves. -Yellowing of leaves means chlorosis of leaves. Deficiency of magnesium: -Essential to the formation of chlorophyll -Carrier of phosphorus -Symptoms: -make their appearance first on the oldest leaves and progress systematically from then towards the youngest one. -Cause chlorosis of leaves which develop upward from base of the plants. -Death of the entire leaf or parts of the leaf.

Deficiency in manganese: -Essential for the release of energy. -Stunted growth, dull green leaves and leaves with curly brown edges.

Deficiency in potassium: -Needed for increasing hardness -Chlorosis of leaves and dead tissue tips and edge of leaves. Deficiency in sulfur: -Component of proteins and amino acids -Weak stem and chlorosis of leaves.

Inner Structure of the Lamina: Cuticle Upper epidermis Palisade Bundle sheath cell Xylem

Phloem Vein Lower epidermis Spongy mesophyll cells Guard cell Stomata

Upper epidermis: A single layer of closely packed cells. Waxy Cuticle -Protects enclosed leaf tissues -Prevent excessive water evaporate -Transparent as it can allows sunlight to penetrate the leaf. Contains stomata Mesophyll: Lies between upper and lower epidermis Main site of photosynthesis Consists 2 types of tissues: -Palisade and spongy mesophyll Palisade mesophyll -One or two layers of closely packed, long and cylindrical cells -contains numerous chloroplasts which can absorb maximum sunlight for photosynthesis.