Question

Which of the following statements are true? If false, correct them.
A. Boron deficiency leads to a stout axis.
B. Every mineral element that is present in a cell is needed by the cell.
C. Nitrogen as a nutrient mineral, is highly immobile in the plants.
D. It is very easy to establish the essentiality of micronutrients because they are required only in trace quantities.

Answer 1

Hint: Plants require essential elements for growth. These can be divided into two types. The soil supplies relatively large amounts of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca) and, magnesium (Mg). And thus, these are called macronutrients. boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn). In relatively small amounts, the plant also requires iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chlorine (Cl), and cobalt (Co), which are called micronutrients.

Complete answer:
A. Boron deficiency leads to the stout axis: true
Boron is involved in vegetative and reproductive cell growth. Deficiency of this nutrient is common. It is caused due to low Boron content in water or fertilizer or due to increased uptake of calcium which inhibits boron uptake. Boron deficiency leads to stunted and distorted growing tips. Therefore, the statement is correct.
B. Every mineral element that is present in a cell is needed by the cell: false
Minerals absorbed by the plants are generally utilized for their growth and development. But that is not true for all elements. Plants also absorb minerals like lead, silicon, uranium, silver, gold, etc that are not essential for growth. This phenomenon is mostly seen in plants growing near the mining areas. Thus the statement is false
C. Nitrogen is a nutrient mineral, is highly immobile in the plants: false
Minerals like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, zinc, and molybdenum are mobile nutrients in plants whereas calcium, sulfur, iron, boron, and copper are immobile nutrients. Thus the statement is false.
D. It is very easy to establish the essentiality of micronutrients because they are required only in trace quantities: false
As plants require certain nutrients in trace quantities, it is difficult to establish their essentiality. Thus the statement is false.

Note: Plants take up essential elements from the soil through their roots and from the air through their leaves. The root, especially the root hair, is the essential organ for the uptake of nutrients. Thus, any alteration in the structure and architecture of the root can affect the rate of nutrient uptake. Nutrient uptake by plants is by simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, or active transport.