Soil Fertility and Nutrient management (1+1)

Functions and deficiency symptoms of Cl

• Chlorine is readily taken up by plants and its mobility in short and long distance transport is high. It does not form constituents of organic substance but act only in ionic form. The plant requirement for chlorine is rather quite high as compared to other micronutrients. The exact role of Cl in plant metabolism is still obscure.

  Functions:

  1. Involved in the evolution of “Oxygen” by chloroplasts in photo system-II.
  2. Associated with turgor production in the guard cells by the osmotic pressure exerted by K+ ions
  3. Role in stomata regulation (opening & closing).
  4. Water splitting in photo system-II.
  5. Act as a bridging ligand for stabilization of the oxidized state of Mn.

  Deficiency :

  1. Chlorosis and burning of tips and margin of leaves. In tomato, leaves become chlorotic and later bronzed.
  2. Over wilting effect and leaf fall, yielding ability decreases.
  Chloride toxicity on many crops- Bronze or yellow colors of leaves with brown or scorched leaf margins.