- Copper is one of the 13 essential elements for plant growth, and is considered a micronutrient based on the concentration required for plant growth
- principle form of uptake: ionic form (Cu2+)
- amount required for healthy plant growth: 6 ppm, dry soil matter
- soil conditions related to copper deficiency:
- peat & muck soil
- calcareous sands
- leached acid soil
- soils from low-copper parent material
- acid soil that has excessive copper, along with manganese, zinc & nitrogen, is often deficient in iron
- copper moves through soil primarily via diffusion
- soil factors that affect copper uptake by plants:
- available levels in soil
- decomposition of organic matter
- plant factors that affect copper uptake by plant:
- hybrid or variety of plant
- stage of growth
- interactions with other elements
Roles of Copper in Plant Functions
- enables electron transport in photosynthesis
- constituent of plastocyanin
- participates in protein and carbohydrate metabolism and in nitrogen (N2) fixation
- is part of the O2 formation process
- is involved in fatty acid desaturation and hydroxylation