A Brief Analysis of Zinc Efficiency Mechanisms in Plants

Abstract

In addition to carbon dioxide and water, plants need inorganic nutrition to expand and develop. Behind iron, Zinc (Zn) is usually the second most common intermediate element in organisms and plant. Zinc is consumed by higher plants as a divalent cation (Zn²⁺), which acts as an enzyme metal component, a functional structure, or a regulatory co-factor in a wide number of enzymes. One of the most essential micronutrient for crop growth and yield is ‘Zn’. Zinc is a plant micronutrient that plays various roles in a number of physiological functions; moreover, if it is not present in appropriate amounts, crop yield suffers. Deficiency of Zn is the most commonly observed condition affecting nearly most of the crops growing on sandy, calcareous, peaty, phosphorous and silicon-rich soils. Zinc deficiency may influence the plant's growth by growing the amount of tillers, smaller leaves, and chlorosis, lengthening the crop maturity time, sterility of spikelet’s, and also lowering the consistency of the harvested commodity.