Manganese (Mn)
- Manganese 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 (Mn2+)
- amount required for healthy plant growth: 50 ppm, dry soil matter
- manganese ions primarily move through the soil via diffusion
- soil conditions related to deficiencies in manganese:
- calcareous soils where manganese availability is low
- poorly drained, high organic composition soil
- strongly acidic sandy soil subjected to high rainfall
- soils from low-manganese parent rock
- acidic soil with excessive manganese can lead to iron deficiencies
- isn’t known to interfere with the metabolism or uptake of any other essential plant element
- soil factors that affect manganese uptake by plants:
- soil test level
- decomposition level of organic matter
- soil pH:
- acidic (low pH) increases manganese uptake
- basic (high pH) decreases manganese uptake
- plant factors that affect manganese uptake by plants:
- hybrid or variety of plant
- stage of growth
- interactions with phosphorous
Roles of Manganese in Plant Functions
- involved in the redox reaction for photosynthetic electron transport
- essential in photosynthesis