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Growing young green corn seedling sprouts in cultivated agricultural farm field, shallow depth of field.
Cristie Preston, Ph.D.

All essential nutrients have a critical concentration – the minimum concentration required for plant growth. These concentrations vary from plant species to species. However, we can categorize 14 of the essential nutrients into two categories based on the minimum concentrations needed by plants.

Macronutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur – are needed in the highest concentrations by plants. Micronutrients – chloride, iron, boron, manganese, zinc, copper, molybdenum and nickel – are required in lower amounts for plant growth. However, all macronutrients and micronutrients can result in yield reduction when they are available in limited supply (Liebig’s Law of the Minimum).

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