Micronutrients: A Current Status and its Symptoms on Crops

Micronutrients are essential for the normal growth of plants. Deficiencies of micronutrient dra stically affect the growth, metabolism and reproductive phas e in plants, animal and human beings. Wide spread defici encies of micronutrients has been found in Indian soils. A bout 3 billion people in the world are affected with micro nutrient malnutrition. Crop plants requires 17 nutrient elem ents viz. C, H, O, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, B, Mo, Cl and Ni for completing their life cycle. Out of these last eight elements are micronutrients that are needed in very less amount for crops but these are equally important as that of macronutrients. Management of micronutrients defici encies in view of decline in production of major crops is a cause of concern that requires immediate attention. Producti on of adequate food grain from the finite land resources to feed the burgeoning population is a great challenge in t he years to come .