Question

Excessive fertilisers should not be added to the soil. Explain.

Answer 1

• Adding excess fertilizers increases the concentration of minerals in the soil water, making it hypertonic compared to the fluid inside the root hair cells.
• This concentration difference causes water to move out of the root hairs and into the soil via exosmosis.
• As a result, the root cells lose water, become flaccid, and the plant eventually wilts and dies due to dehydration.