The Many Roles of Nitrogen
Nitrogen is commonly viewed as the most essential of all the macronutrients and as such , is required by the plant in the largest amounts . This is because nitrogen supports many processes that occur inside the plant throughout all stages of its life cycle . It is a fundamental component of many plant structures and their internal and external metabolic processes . So , why is nitrogen so important ? Let ’ s break it all down and have a look at the role of this essential element , starting with what nitrogen actually is . Nitrogen in its most natural and purest form exists as a colourless , odourless gas . It is one of the building blocks of life that is essential for all plants and animals to survive . Nitrogen is needed for growth , reproduction , and for creating amino acids that make up proteins . It is also found in cells where it is contained within nucleic acids that hold the information for creating new life . Nitrogen can also be chemically reacted with other compounds such as ammonia , nitric acid , organic nitrates , and cyanides to form unique compounds with totally different chemical and physical properties . Since plants cannot use nitrogen in its gaseous form , uptake occurs via waterbased nitrogen forms such as ammonium and nitrates that can be easily absorbed by the roots . This process is achievable in the natural environment thanks to the “ nitrogen cycle ” that sees nitrogen in the atmosphere converted into a soluble form that is available for uptake by the plant . The nitrogen cycle is the process where natural nitrogen gas is converted into soluble nitrates which are then taken up by plants and used to make proteins . Animals eat plants for nutrition and so nitrogen from the plant ' s proteins becomes proteins in the animal . The ongoing decomposition of faeces , urine , and bodies of animals then results in nitrogen being returned to the soil as ammonium ions , which nitrifying bacteria then converts into nitrates for plants to absorb . Finally , in the cycle , denitrifying bacteria in the soil break down nitrates and return nitrogen gas to the atmosphere . When it comes to growing indoors , however , we can ’ t rely on the nitrogen cycle and instead plant-soluble nitrogen can only be made through chemical nitrogen fixation , such as from nitrogen fertilisers . Nitrate nitrogen is the most common form for plant fertilisers as it is easily taken up by the plant and has good soil retention , unlike ammonium nitrogen , which requires more oxygen for it to be metabolised in plant roots .
So , now we know what nitrogen is and how it is taken up , let ’ s have a look at the many roles that it plays in the health and development of your plants .
Nitrogen : An Essential Element
Nitrogen is an essential element of all the amino acids in plant structures , which are the building blocks of plant proteins . Proteins are vital for every conceivable process in the plant to take place . Proteins stimulate growth , promote fruit development , and assist with the growth and development of vital plant tissues and cells . Nitrogen is a component of nucleic acid that forms DNA and helps transfer certain crop traits and characteristics that aid in plant survival . It also helps hold the genetic code in a plant ’ s nucleus . Nitrogen is an important ingredient in chlorophyll , the green chemical required for photosynthesis and likewise is fundamental to the process of photosynthesis as a whole . Plants with sufficient nitrogen will experience higher rates of photosynthesis and have bigger , faster , and stronger plant growth and development . Nitrogen also maintains and optimises root system performance . When roots have enough nitrogen , they perform to their fullest potential , absorbing more water , more nutrients , and grow faster .
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SINCE PLANTS CANNOT USE NITROGEN IN ITS GASEOUS FORM , uptake occurs via water-based nitrogen forms such as ammonium and nitrates that can be easily absorbed by the roots .”
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