5.3 understand how the use of fertiliser can increase crop yield

- Plants need certain minerals like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.

- If they don't get enough of these minerals, their growth and life processes can be affected.

Farmers will, therefore, use fertilisers containing minerals nitrates, phosphates and potassium to increase their crop yield. As these minerals are all water-soluble, they can dissolve in water and absorbed through roots via Active Transport.

What are the functions of Nitrates, Phosphates, and Potassium?

- Nitrates: help plants produce amino acids that form protein to promote their growth.

- Phosphates: converts amino acids into protein, and increases the rate of respiration to release energy for growth

- Potassium: regulates the opening and closing of stomata to allow CO2 uptake for photosynthesis. It also enables enzyme reactions to occur that produce energy in the form of ATP for active transport of mineral ions from the roots.

Remember:

N: amino

P: protein and respiration

K: stomata and enzyme