There may be over 72 trace minerals that are part of a plant’s chemical structure. All play an important role in the plant’s photosynthetic and metabolic processes. BioFlora’s products contain many of these trace minerals. BioFlora produces most of these essential nutrients in an organic acid-complex form, which enhances uptake by crops and soil animals. They are formulated to maximize plant growth, and vigor and soil fertility. 

A partial listing of some of the more important mineral nutrients used by plants are as follows. Click on the links to learn more about each.

Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Phosphorous
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Sulfur
Iron
Manganese
Zinc
Copper
Boron
Molybdenum


Carbon
Approximately 42% of a plant’s compounds are carbon. Carbon is taken from the carbon dioxide in the air.  A single adult human gives off enough carbon dioxide in respiration in 24 hours to fill the photosynthesis requirement of a single tree.  It has been computed that it takes 20 trees to handle the carbon dioxide given off by every five gallons of gasoline used by an internal combustion engine. Managing carbon in the soil is an important part of the Global Organics’ concept.

Hydrogen
Laboratory analysis reveals that 6% of a plant’s compounds involve hydrogen.  During photosynthesis water molecules are split, providing hydrogen as a building block for many plant functions.

Oxygen
Approximately 40% of all the compounds in a plant are composed of oxygen.  This element comes from both air and water.  Oxygen is vital to plant functions in leaves and roots.  It has been estimated that 90% of the world’s oxygen is produced from algae and other photosynthetic plants in oceans and other bodies of water.

Nitrogen
Nitrogen accounts for up to 3% of all plant compounds.  It is the most abused and misused production input in growing plants.  The key to reducing nitrogen growing costs is to reduce nitrogen losses.  The present nitrogen recommendations in most growing situations are based upon experience and are usually in excess of specific plant requirements.

Nitrogen losses come about by reduced aeration and higher compaction in soil.  Nitrates can be lost by being converted to gaseous nitrogen by anaerobic soil microorganisms in soils low in oxygen.  The losses from gasification will be more on heavy soils than on light-textured soils.  Leaching losses of nitrogen will be higher on light soils.

Excess amounts of nitrogen can destroy soil humus and tilth.  When excessive nitrogen is present in the soil, microorganisms will multiply by attacking the carbonaceous humus that is more accessible than randomly distributed plant residue.  By breaking down humus for their carbon needs, soil microbes can deplete the humus reserve in soil.  This depletion reduces the stable humus aggregates that are vital to tilth and aeration of a healthy soil.

Phosphorus
Laboratory examinations reveal that up to 1% of all plant tissues contain phosphorus.  When phosphorus intake is deficient, plants will produce red and purple leaf colors and exhibit stunted root and top growth.  Most synthetic phosphate fertilizers, when added to the soil, undergo a degree of “phosphate fixation” with other soil elements. The degree of fixation depends upon the chemical nature of the soil. High sodium levels reduce phosphorus availability.

Information from the University of Arizona Agriculture Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service Bulletin A-42 reports that within 15 minutes after phosphates were mixed with the Gila series soil, water-soluble phosphates became insoluble in water.  The phosphates combined with calcium and magnesium.

Bio-organic phosphates are chelated in organic complexes and designed to favor microbiological activity that converts phosphorus to a more available form for plant use, thereby, preventing losses by fixation.

Potassium
Plants contain an average of about 3% potassium as a part of plant tissue.  Potassium is essential in the translocation of vital sugars in plant structures, strengthening plant stalks. Conventional fertilizers such as muriate of potash or potassium chloride are salts and contain chloride just as table salt (sodium chloride) does.

Plants use potassium as the element K+ ion and its availability depends upon its position within the soil and relationship to clay, humus and soil water. A clay particle is a strong magnet in comparison to sand, silt and humus.  Clay soils hold potassium very tightly and resist leaching. This characteristic makes it more difficult to recover potassium from clay soils. Soil aeration and healthy, balanced aerobic microbial activity are essential for making potassium available to plants.

Calcium
Calcium is often called the prince of nutrients because the soil colloid has to have a great saturation of calcium for plant uptake. It accounts for about 2% of plant tissue.  Calcium is used to make calcium pectate, a sturdy building material component of cell walls.  Calcium deficiency causes stunted roots and stress symptoms in new leaves and discoloration and distortion of plant growth.  It may be the single most important soil and plant element.

Magnesium
Each chlorophyll molecule is built around a single atom of magnesium, which accounts for about 1% of plant tissue.  Magnesium deficiency causes poor photosynthesis that restricts plant growth and vitality.

Sulfur
Sulfur is essential for the conversion of nitrogen into amino acids and the linkage of these amino acids into complete proteins.  Sulfur accounts for about 1% of plant tissue.  When sulfur is deficient, the nitrates accumulate in the plant tissue instead of forming into amino acids and protein.  Elemental sulfur is oxidized into a plant-usable sulfate form by a sulfur-oxidizing microorganism known as Thiobaccillus. This important soil organism functions best when the soil is well aerated.  Compacted soils create anaerobic conditions that can reduce sulfates to toxic sulfur acids and gases.

Iron
Although iron figures in the formation of chlorophyll, it is not a part of the chlorophyll molecule.  Plants contain as little as 10 ppm and up to 2,000 ppm in plant tissue.  When iron is deficient, chlorophyll production for greater photosynthesis is limited.

Manganese
Manganese serves as an activator for enzymes in plant growth processes.  Plants contain as little as 5 ppm and up to 500 ppm in plant tissue.  It assists iron in chlorophyll formation.

Zinc
Zinc is an essential constituent of several important enzyme systems in plants.  Plants contain as little as 3 ppm and up to 100 ppm in plant tissue.  It controls the synthesis of indoleacetic acid, an important plant growth regulator.  Zinc deficiency can cause a decrease in stem length and rosetteing of terminal leaf, reduced fruit bud formation, mottled leaves, twig dieback and the striping and banding of corn leaves.

Copper
Copper increases enzyme activity in the metabolism of plants.  Plants contain as little as 5 ppm and up to 100 ppm in the plant tissue.  It has a role in the production of Vitamin A within the plant and functions in chlorophyll formation.  It is involved in building and converting amino acids to protein.  It aids in the control of harmful pathogens that are detrimental to plant growth.

Boron
Boron is essential in several metabolic processes in the plant.  Plants contain as little as 2 ppm and up to 75 ppm in plant tissue.  It is required for translocation of sugars.  Boron regulates flowering and fruiting, cell division, salt absorption, hormone movement, pollen germination, carbohydrate metabolism, water use and nitrogen assimilation.  It functions with calcium to build plant structural integrity.

Molybdenum
Molybdenum is required for ascorbic acid synthesis. Plants contain as little as 0.01 ppm and up to 10 ppm in plant tissue.  It is essential in the function of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.  It is a co-factor for nitrogen reductase involved in converting nitrate to amines for protein synthesis.