Railway Science (Biology-Nutrition in Plant) (Part-II)

Nitrogen (N) : Plants themselves cannot obtain their nitrogen from the air but rely mainly on the supply of combined nitrogen in the form of ammonia, or nitrates, resulting from nitrogen fixation by free-living bacteria in the soil or bacteria living symbiotically in nodules on the roots of legumes. The three main nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).

Vitamins - Organic compounds that are required in small amounts for the proper functioning of body. Types - Fat soluble (A, D, E, K) and Water soluble (B and C). Vitamin A (Retinol) - Carrots, tomatoes, cod liver oil. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) - Orange, amla, lemon.
Vitamin D (Calciferol) - Fish oil, sunlight, milk. Vitamin E (Tocopherol) - Spinach, lettuce, nuts. Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone) - Soybeans, cabbage. Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) - Pork chops, brown rice, ham, soy milk, watermelons, acorn squash.

Root hairs - Delicate outgrowths of epidermal cells that significantly increase the volume of soil that plants mine for nutrients. It is suited for absorbing water from the soil because - It has large surface area to increase the absorption; each root hair has a semi-permeable membrane; It contains a solution (cell sap) of a higher concentration than surrounding soil water. Osmosis is a special type of diffusion process between two solutions of different concentration which occurs through a semipermeable membrane. In this, the solvent molecules move from the solution of lower concentration to the solution of higher concentration.

Legumes - Any plant from the Fabaceae family that would include its leaves, stems, and pods. A pulse is an edible seed from a legume plant. Tubers - A type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants.

Dietary fibres are also known as roughage, mainly provided by plant products. It does not provide any nutrients to the body. Example - Potatoes, pulses.
Soluble fibers - slow digestion, bind with fatty acids and flush them out lowering bad cholesterol, found in oatmeal, nuts.
Insoluble Fibres - found in seed and skin of Fruit as well as whole-wheat, Bread and brown rice.

Nutrients in Banana : Carbohydrates, Fibers, Vitamin B6, Manganese, etc. Other sources of Potassium (K) : Potatoes, Spinach, Avocados, etc. Niacin (Vitamin B₃) : Sources - Fish Eggs, Dairy products.
It helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. Riboflavin (Vitamin B₂) : It is widely found in both plant and animal based foods, including milk, meat, eggs, nuts, and green vegetables.
Protein : It is a macronutrient essential for growth and repair, found in sources such as meat, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy products, nuts and seeds.

Plasmolysis : The process of shrinkage of a plant cell's protoplasm as a result of the loss of water from the cell. Cytolysis : Occurs when a cell bursts due to an osmotic imbalance that has caused excess water to diffuse into the cell. Hemolysis : The breakdown of red blood cells.

Fluoride - An inorganic, monatomic anion of fluorine {Symbol: F, Atomic number (Z) = 9}. It reverses early decay and remineralizes your tooth enamel. Food containing substance: Sodium (Na, Z = 11) - Canned meat, bacon, pizza; Iodine (I, Z = 53) - Fish, seaweed; Chloride (Cl, Z = 17) - Olives, tomatoes.

Sources of Other Nutrients : Zinc - Sea foods, eggs, nuts, dairy products. Sodium - Apples, guavas, avocado, papaya, mango, carambola, pineapple, banana, melons, and pears. Copper - Meats, shellfish, fish, nuts, etc.

Photosynthesis - A process by which green plants prepare their own food from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight.
Transpiration - The process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers.
Respiration - The process of exchange of O₂ from the atmosphere with CO₂ produced by the cells. Excretion - Process in which metabolic waste is eliminated from an organism.