Nutritional composition plant material

The concentration of inorganic components in forage crops varies according to crop maturity, temperature, and soil pH and composition. The analyses of mineral content can reveal soil or management deficiencies as well as optimum harvest time for proper crop management. Actual mineral analyses are used to determine the amount of mineral supplementation to be added to an animal ration for proper nutritional balance. Reference methods of analysis include inductively coupled argon plasma (ICP), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). These techniques are well established for the analysis of mineral elements in whole-plant material. The exact procedures for sample preparation and analysis are well documented. Copies of the procedures may be obtained from instrument manufacturers or are readily found using basic texts for each analytical technique. 

We can expect that increased knowledge of the biosynthetic pathways of plant biopolymers may lead through to their composition, structure and interactions in biological material being controlled more effectively so as to enhance technological functionality and nutritional quality. 

Tobacco plants, like other higher plants, are autotrophs possessing the capacity to synthesize all of its complex organic materials provided that carbon dioxide, water, minerals, and the proper physical environment are available. Their chemical composition is influenced by environmental factors such as light, temperature, moisture, soil type, and cultural practices, as well as inorganic nutrition. 

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