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Mineral Nutrition refers to the natural inorganic nutrients necessary for smooth functioning of body that are present in food and soil. Animals and plants require certain minerals for functioning of their body. Each mineral performs certain specific functions which makes it essential. Nutrients can be micronutrients or macronutrients.
Nutrients balance the functioning within the plants. They compliment each other. They also aid in reaching the required osmotic pressure. The construction of the body of plant is aided by presence of nutrients. Some examples of nutrients are calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, chlorine, copper, boron, carbon, sulfur, etc.
Also Read: Nutrition in Human Beings
Ques. Which wild type organism doesn’t need any additional supplements for growth?
- Prototroph
- Autotroph
- Auxotroph
- Phenotype
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Ans. a) Prototroph
Explanation: Prototroph doesn’t require any organic nutrients to make their food and grow. They are self sufficient and can synthesize their food using organic nutrients. Nutrientional requirements of prototroph are similar to wild type. They can grow without aid from additional supplements.
Also Read: Autotrophic Nutrition
Ques. What is the purpose of phytotron?
- Controlled environment for growing plants
- Humidity control
- Irradiation control
- Induction of mutations
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Ans. a) Controlled environment for growing plants
Explanation: Phytotron is used to grow plants in a controlled environment. It is a research greenhouse that is enclosed indoors. The purpose of phytotron is to research and study interactions between various plants and the surroundings. It comes under branches of botany and physiology.
Ques. Which elements do plants need for completion of their life cycle?
- Manure
- Fertilizers
- Essential elements
- Macroelements
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Ans. c) Essential elements
Explanation: Plants needs essential elements for growth and development of their body. These elements also help the plant reproduce. Essential elements aid the germination of seed, proper growth of roots, leaves, branches, and stems. These nutrients are macronutrients and micronutrients.
Also Read: Manure and Fertilzers
Ques. What characteristic is not necessary to consider a nutrient essential?
- The element does not grow and develop the body
- Element is part of metabolic processes in plant
- Another element cannot perform the same function
- None of the above
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Ans. a) The element does not grow and develop the body
Explanation: An essential element is necessary for growth and development of the plant body. Such elements cannot be replaced by other elements as they have a very specific functions required by the plant. Essential elements have contribution in metabolic processes that take place in plant’s body.
Ques. Which of the following is important mineral nutrient?
- Oxygen
- Hydrogen
- Carbon
- Nitrogen
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Ans. d) Nitrogen
Explanation: Nitrogen is essential for growth and development of plant. The plants get their green color due to presence of chlorophyll molecule in nitrogen. Nitrogen aids the process of photosynthesis and helps plants in creating food. Plant protoplasm is build by aid form nitrogen.
Ques. Who proposed the idea that plants require essential minerals?
- Bernand Simpson
- Aristotle
- Von Haier
- Arnon and Stout
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Ans. d) Arnon and Stout
Explanation: Arnon and Stout proposed that plants require essential minerals. They put forward their research on essential elements in 1939. They also came up with certain criteria that make an element for the plant body.
Ques. What mineral deficiency can manganese toxicity lead to?
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Iron
- All of the above
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Ans. d) All of the above
Explanation: Manganese toxicity is caused in plants that have high levels of superphosphate. It is common in plants fertilized by acidic fertilizers or when there is no proper source of nitrogen. Manganese toxicity can lead to deficiency of iron, calcium, as well as magnesium.
Ques. Under which technique do plants grown have roots in the air?
- Aeroponics
- Aerosolization
- Aerophytes
- Osmosis
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Ans. a) Aeroponics
Explanation: Aeroponics includes growing plants with roots that are exposed to air. Under this, the plants are grown without soil. Growing plants under aeroponics require more maintenance that normal plants. However, they don’t need much water.
Also Read: Difference between Aerponics and Hydroponics
Ques. Which of the following is not a trace element?
- Boron
- Zinc
- Sodium
- Carbon
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Ans. d) Carbon
Explanation: Carbon is not a trace element. Chemical elements that have low concentration are called trace elements. Trace elements can be essential or non essential. Plants have around 45 percent carbon in them and carbon has high concentration.
Also Read: Sodium
Ques. What is the function of zinc?
- Chlorophyll synthesis
- Carbohydrate oxidization
- 3-IAA synthesis
- Closing of stomata
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Ans. a) Chlorophyll synthesis
Explanation: Zinc performs various functions in body of the plant. It aids the plant in creation of chlorophyll and various other carbohydrates. It also helps plant bear low temperatures by being in plant tissue. The process of conversion of starch to sugar is aided by zinc.
Ques. Identify which of the following is a trace element?
- Carbon
- Sodium
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
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Ans. b) Sodium
Explanation: Trace elements are elements that are required by the body but the required amount is less than 100 mg. Sodium, Potassium, sulfur, calcium, phosphorus, chlorine, and magnesium are trace elements.
Ques. Deficiency of which element leads to dark green colouration of leaves?
- Sodium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- None of the above
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Ans. b) Phosphorus
Explanation: Deficiency of phosphorus in plants can result in change in color of the leaves. The leaves turn dark green. This is because deficiency of phosphorus can lead to formation of carbohydrate in excess which turns the leaves dark green or even pale in some cases.
Ques. The roots absorb mineral salts in what form?
- Concentrated Solution
- Dilute Solution
- Very dilute solution
- Very concentrated solution
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Ans. c) Very dilute solution
Explanation: Mineral salts enter the roots in very dilute solution so they can enter cell membrane and cell walls by osmosis. Because the solution is very dilute, it is easy for minerals to travel into the cells. These mineral salts are then carried throughout the plant.
Ques. Deficiency of which element leads to chlorosis of older leaves?
- Nitrogen
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sodium
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Ans. c) Magnesium
Explanation: The reason of green color of leaves is a pigment called chlorophyll. The plant cells have chlorophyll and it absorbs light from the atmosphere and gives leaves their green hue. Magnesium is the central component of chlorophyll. Absence of magnesium can lead to chlorosis of leaves.
Ques. What does presence of phosphorus lead to in plants?
- Retards formation of protein
- Ripening of fruit fastens
- Aids growth of roots
- None of the above
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Ans. a) Retards formation of protein
Explanation: Presence of phosphorus can lead to retard in formation of protein in plants. Phosphorus is essential for growth and development of plant. It aids many processes such as photosynthesis, transmission of energy, membrane synthesis etc
Also read:
Previous Years Questions
- Which one of the following is a micronutrient for plants?….[NEET 1996]
- Mg is a component of….[NEET 2000]
- A plant requires magnesium for….[NEET 2007]
- A prokaryotic autotrophic nitrogen fixing symbiont….[NEET 2011]
- A system of rotating crops with legume or grass pasture to….[NEET 2016]
- Best defined function of manganese in green plants…. [NEET 2012]
- Boron in green plants assists in…. [NEET 2003]
- Deficiency symptoms of nitrogen and potassium… [NEET 2014]
- For its activity, carboxypeptidase requires….[NEET 2012]
- Gray spots of oat are caused by deficiency of….[NEET 2003]
- If by radiation all nitrogenase enzyme is….[NEET 2003]
- In which of the following forms is iron…. [ NEET 2018]
- Leguminous plants are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen….[NEET 2010]
- The deficiencies of micronutrients, not only affects growth of plants….[NEET 2005]
- What is true for cyanobacteria….[NEET 2001]
- Which is essential for the growth of root tip ?….[NEET 2016]
- Which of the following can fix atmospheric nitrogen? ….[NEET 1995]
- Phytotron is device for….[CUCET 2006]
- Dieback disease occurs in deficiency of….[CUCET 2006]
- A mineral not essential for plants….[CUCET 2006]






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