ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the roles of mineral nutrients in plant growth and development, physiological and molecular responses to nutrient deficiency, and the general management of nutrient deficiency in woody plants. According to the amount of each element needed for a healthy plant, mineral elements can be divided into two groups: macro- and micro-elements. Macro-elements, also called macronutrients or major nutrients, are required for plant growth and development in relatively large amounts. Plants respond to nutrient deficiency by showing specific symptoms. Nutrient deficiency will cause abnormal growth and development. Potassium is required for stomata opening and closing and involved in modification of nutrient and water uptake and activation of enzymes. The element Nickel was classified as an essential nutrient in 1989. Deficiency of one or multiple nutrients can cause a series of physical changes in plants. Molecular responses of plants to nutrient deficiency have been well researched in herbaceous plants, mainly in Arabidopsis and a few crop species.
