Question

Most people know that plants need inorganic materials

can over fertilizing a plant cause it to wilt and die?
they add plant fertilizer to the soil to help them grow. Why can over fertilizing a plant cause it to wilt and die ?


A) Too much fertilizer over feeds the plants and they die of a plant version of
obesity.
B) Too much fertilizer creates a hypotonic solution around plant roots, which
causes water to diffuse into the plant cells
c) Too much fertilizer creates a hypertonic solution around plant roots, which
causes water to diffuse out of the plant cells
Eliminate
D) Too much fertilizer creates an isotonic solution around plant roots, which
causes water to diffuse into and out of the plant cells

Answer 1

Over fertilizing a plant results in a hypertonic solution around the roots, leading to water moving out of the plant cells, loss of turgor pressure, wilting, and potentially death.

Step-by-step explanation:

You asked why over fertilizing a plant can cause it to wilt and die. The correct answer is C) Too much fertilizer creates a hypertonic solution around the plant roots, which causes water to diffuse out of the plant cells.

When the soil is loaded with excess fertilizer, the concentration of dissolved substances (mainly inorganic nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus) becomes higher outside the plant's roots than inside. This hypertonic environment leads to water moving out of the plant cells to balance the concentration on both sides of the root cell membranes, resulting in a reduction of turgor pressure. Without turgor pressure, plants cannot maintain their structure, causing them to wilt and possibly die if conditions persist.

It's important to understand that while plants do need nutrients to grow, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Applying the right amount of fertilizer according to the needs of specific plants and soil conditions is vital for the health of your garden or crops.