Which one of the following is not an essential mineral element for plants while the remaining three are?
- Iron
- Manganese
- Cadmium
- Phosphorus
Answer
(3) Cadmium
Solution
As per NCERT, essential elements are macronutrients (C, H, O, N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo, Zn, B, Cl, Ni).
Iron and manganese are micronutrients and phosphorus is a macronutrient.
Cadmium is not an essential element; it is a toxic heavy metal.
Answer: (3)