Zinc sulfate heptahydrate: Generally appears as a colorless orthorhombic crystal, granular, or powdered solid, with a melting point around 100 degrees Celsius. It is easily soluble in water but insoluble in alcohol and acetone, and its aqueous solution is weakly acidic. It is prone to efflorescence in dry air.
Functions of zinc sulfate:
1. Zinc promotes photosynthesis in crops. It acts as a specific activating ion for carbonic anhydrase within plant chloroplasts, which catalyzes the hydration of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Additionally, zinc is an activator of aldolase, which is one of the key enzymes in the photosynthesis process.
2. Zinc participates in the synthesis of the plant hormone indole acetic acid. Since zinc promotes the synthesis of indole and serine to produce tryptophan, which is a precursor for the synthesis of growth hormones, zinc indirectly influences the formation of these hormones. When zinc is deficient, the synthesis of growth hormones in crops decreases, especially in buds and stems, leading to stunted growth, smaller leaves, and shortened internodes, resulting in symptoms such as the formation of rosettes.
3. Zinc promotes protein synthesis in crops. It is closely related to protein synthesis, as RNA polymerase contains zinc, which is essential for protein synthesis. Zinc is also a component of ribonucleoproteins and is necessary for maintaining their structural integrity.
4. Zinc is an essential component for stabilizing ribosomes in plant cells. Zinc deficiency leads to a reduction in ribonucleic acid and ribosomes. Recent studies have shown that normal ribosomes contain zinc, and in the absence of zinc, these cells become unstable, indicating that zinc is necessary for stabilizing ribosomes.
Post time: Jan-21-2025
