Magnesium Nutrition and Plant Physiological Response
Summary
Magnesium is a central macronutrient for plant health, acting as the ionic core of chlorophyll, an activator of key enzymes and a mediator of energy transfer through ATP. Its role extends beyond photosynthetic light capture to the regulation of photoassimilate partitioning, membrane stability and the alleviation of oxidative stress under adverse conditions. Uptake occurs predominantly as Mg2+ from soil solution, with availability governed by soil pH, moisture, mineralogy and cation exchange processes. Within the plant, precise homeostatic mechanisms ensure adequate transport of Mg to chloroplasts, mitochondria and the cytosol, where it modulates ribosome assembly, nucleic acid structure and metabolic fluxes. Deficiency symptoms include interveinal chlorosis, reduced growth, premature senescence and diminished yield quality, while toxicity—though rare—can disrupt ionic balance. The global prevalence of Mg deficiency in agricultural soils has prompted renewed interest in fertilisation strategies, foliar applications and breeding for efficient uptake. An integrated understanding of soil–plant interactions, transporter genetics and downstream physiological responses is essential to optimise crop performance, enhance stress tolerance and safeguard food security.
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Magnesium Nutrition and Plant Physiological Response publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in magnesium nutrition and plant physiological response across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Chlorophyll: A green pigment in chloroplasts that captures light energy for photosynthesis.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules formed during metabolism that can cause cellular damage unless detoxified by antioxidant systems.
Homeostasis: The maintenance of stable internal concentrations of nutrients and ions within plant cells and tissues.
Transcriptome: The complete set of RNA transcripts produced by the genome at a given time, reflecting gene expression patterns.
Magnesium transporter (MGT): A membrane protein facilitating the uptake and distribution of Mg2+ within plant cells.
References
- Metabolome profiling and transcriptome analysis unveiling the crucial role of magnesium transport system for magnesium homeostasis in tea plants. Horticulture Research (2024).
- Comparative Physio-Biochemical and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Contrasting Responses to Magnesium Imbalances in Leaves of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Plants. Antioxidants (2024).
- Magnesium mobility in soils as a challenge for soil and plant analysis, magnesium fertilization and root uptake under adverse growth conditions. Plant and Soil (2012).
- Role of magnesium fertilisers in agriculture: plant–soil continuum. Crop and Pasture Science (2015).
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