Just like the human body requires optimum nutritional, environmental and various other optimum conditions for general well-being and growth, plants also need certain optimum conditions that promote their growth. Here we will discuss all the environmental as well as nutritional factors that affect the plant growth:
Nutritional Plant Growth Factors
There are several aspects of plant nutrition, which need to be considered for better growth of plants. The basic nutrients required for plant growth are divided into two main categories namely micronutrients and macronutrients. Here is the information about the important nutritional plant growth factors:
Macronutrients: The nutrients that are required by plants in larger quantities are termed as the macronutrients. There are six elements in the soil that are termed as macronutrients these are nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and sulfur.
Micronutrients: The nutrients that are required in smaller quantities by the plants are called as the micronutrients. There exist eight elements, which are termed as the micronutrients. The eight micronutrients include iron, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, and chlorine.
Water: A majority of growing plants contains as much as 90 percent water. Water is one of the most essential factors required in growth of plants. Water plays a crucial role for efficient photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration and transportation of minerals and other nutrients through the plant. Water is responsible for functioning of the stomatal opening of leaves and also the source of pressure for the directed growth of roots through the soil.
Environmental Plant Growth Factors
In addition to the nutritional factors there are various environmental factors, which play an instrumental role in enhancing the plant growth. Here are the important environmental plant growth factors:
Light: Adequate light is perhaps one of the most important factors influencing plant growth and it is he quantity, quality and duration of light exposure is what matters. Various light sources can be used to provide light to the plants and the sources of light can be classified as natural and artificial sources. The natural source of light is the sun whereas the artificial sources include various types of lighting equipment. Blue light is essential for the growth of the leaves whereas a combination of red and blue light promotes flowering of plants. The artificial light sources can be manipulated to adjust the intensity of the light as well. While it is always good to rely on the natural source of light, during extreme weather conditions and lack of sunlight artificial light is the best option. Also there are certain plants, which require less light for the growth, in such cases the light can be filtered using protective shelters for the plants to allow minimum required amount of sunlight exposure.
Temperature: Temperature is a crucial element that influences the growth of plants. Temperature of the surrounding atmosphere as well as the temperature of the soil matters for the plant growth. Optimum temperature is one of the pre-requisites for many of the plant processes, like photosynthesis, respiration, germination, and flowering. Although the values differ for various plants usually cool season plants have 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit as the optimum temperature for germination whereas warm-season plants germinate at 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature ranges for optimum photosynthesis and respiration vary with the species of plants and their individual requirements.
Relative Humidity: Moisture is a very important factor in growth of plants and is defined as the ratio of water vapor in the air to the amount of water in the air. The relative humidity in the air is used by the plants and is crucial for the transpiration of the plants. Transpiration is at its peak cutting hot, windy and dry days while transpiration slows down during cool and humid days.
Carbon dioxide and Oxygen The manufacturing of sugar by plants requires the presence of carbon dioxide and hence it is one of the vital elements for plant growth. It is a known fact that plants can use as much as 1500 parts per million of carbon dioxide. In case the natural carbon dioxide available in the air is not enough, there exist Carbon dioxide injectors that promote enhanced plant growth. Oxygen is essential for plant respiration and utilization of photosynthesis byproducts.
Soil: Soil with proper humidity, and the right balance of all the minerals and nutrients is one of the essential factors instrumental in plant growth. The type of soil and the quality and the nutrients required in it vary according to the plant species. The right pH balance, which measures the alkalinity or acidity of the soil and presence of certain chemicals, is also instrumental in the growth of plants.
Nutritional Plant Growth Factors
There are several aspects of plant nutrition, which need to be considered for better growth of plants. The basic nutrients required for plant growth are divided into two main categories namely micronutrients and macronutrients. Here is the information about the important nutritional plant growth factors:
Macronutrients: The nutrients that are required by plants in larger quantities are termed as the macronutrients. There are six elements in the soil that are termed as macronutrients these are nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and sulfur.
Micronutrients: The nutrients that are required in smaller quantities by the plants are called as the micronutrients. There exist eight elements, which are termed as the micronutrients. The eight micronutrients include iron, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, and chlorine.
Water: A majority of growing plants contains as much as 90 percent water. Water is one of the most essential factors required in growth of plants. Water plays a crucial role for efficient photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration and transportation of minerals and other nutrients through the plant. Water is responsible for functioning of the stomatal opening of leaves and also the source of pressure for the directed growth of roots through the soil.
Environmental Plant Growth Factors
In addition to the nutritional factors there are various environmental factors, which play an instrumental role in enhancing the plant growth. Here are the important environmental plant growth factors:
Light: Adequate light is perhaps one of the most important factors influencing plant growth and it is he quantity, quality and duration of light exposure is what matters. Various light sources can be used to provide light to the plants and the sources of light can be classified as natural and artificial sources. The natural source of light is the sun whereas the artificial sources include various types of lighting equipment. Blue light is essential for the growth of the leaves whereas a combination of red and blue light promotes flowering of plants. The artificial light sources can be manipulated to adjust the intensity of the light as well. While it is always good to rely on the natural source of light, during extreme weather conditions and lack of sunlight artificial light is the best option. Also there are certain plants, which require less light for the growth, in such cases the light can be filtered using protective shelters for the plants to allow minimum required amount of sunlight exposure.
Temperature: Temperature is a crucial element that influences the growth of plants. Temperature of the surrounding atmosphere as well as the temperature of the soil matters for the plant growth. Optimum temperature is one of the pre-requisites for many of the plant processes, like photosynthesis, respiration, germination, and flowering. Although the values differ for various plants usually cool season plants have 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit as the optimum temperature for germination whereas warm-season plants germinate at 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature ranges for optimum photosynthesis and respiration vary with the species of plants and their individual requirements.
Relative Humidity: Moisture is a very important factor in growth of plants and is defined as the ratio of water vapor in the air to the amount of water in the air. The relative humidity in the air is used by the plants and is crucial for the transpiration of the plants. Transpiration is at its peak cutting hot, windy and dry days while transpiration slows down during cool and humid days.
Carbon dioxide and Oxygen The manufacturing of sugar by plants requires the presence of carbon dioxide and hence it is one of the vital elements for plant growth. It is a known fact that plants can use as much as 1500 parts per million of carbon dioxide. In case the natural carbon dioxide available in the air is not enough, there exist Carbon dioxide injectors that promote enhanced plant growth. Oxygen is essential for plant respiration and utilization of photosynthesis byproducts.
Soil: Soil with proper humidity, and the right balance of all the minerals and nutrients is one of the essential factors instrumental in plant growth. The type of soil and the quality and the nutrients required in it vary according to the plant species. The right pH balance, which measures the alkalinity or acidity of the soil and presence of certain chemicals, is also instrumental in the growth of plants.
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