Three essential nutrients

There are many different things Ontario grain farmers need to take into consideration when it comes to growing a healthy and strong crop. Just like you or I, growing grains need food, water, and air to grow big and strong! While plant food may not look like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or pizza, it is just as important.

When thinking about what nutrients grains need to grow, they can be classified in two main ways. A macronutrient can be described as a nutrient that is required by the plant in larger amounts. A micronutrient is exactly the opposite, a nutrient that is required in smaller amounts.

Today we are going to have a look at the three primary macronutrients that are essential for Ontario grains to grow! They are known as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and are often represented by the three letters N, P, and K. Lets dive in to learn a bit more about each of these nutrients.

Nitrogen:

Nitrogen is the first of the three that we are going to talk about and understand a bit further into. There are few main roles that nitrogen plays in the growth of grains. Nitrogen plays an important part in the production of amino and nucleic acids, as well as chlorophyll in grains. All three of these are also components that are essential to grow a strong healthy plant. 

Phosphorus:

The next essential nutrient is phosphorus, and it plays a key role in some of the processes that occur during plant growth and development. Photosynthesis, one of the most important processes during not only grains growth, but all plants, is heavily impacted by phosphorus’ ability to capture energy from the sun. Healthy growth, and efficiency of growth, are also two factors that can be impacted by the amount of phosphorus available.

Potassium:

The final nutrient in our N, P, and K trio is potassium, which is represented by the letter “K”. It has a variety of important jobs within grains, so it is key that there is always enough potassium available. With unpredictability of the weather during Ontario springs, and summers, potassium can help the grains with their resistance to drought like conditions. Potassium is also important to strengthen the roots to help prevent damages from things like lodging, or severe weather.

Farmers work hard to ensure Ontario’s grain fields are growing healthy. By measuring, applying, and keeping an eye on the nutrients the barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat fields need, #YourFarmers are growing healthy, strong plants that can be made into healthy food.