Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The criteria of essentiality are fundamental principles in plant nutrition used to determine if a chemical element is absolutely necessary for plant growth and development.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
The criteria of essentiality were proposed by Daniel I. Arnon and Perry R. Stout in 193
For an element to be considered essential, it must meet three specific conditions:
The plant cannot complete its life cycle (vegetative and reproductive stages) in the absence of the element.
The deficiency of the element must be specific, meaning it can only be corrected by supplying that particular element.
The element must be directly involved in the plant's metabolism, not simply acting to improve the soil environment or neutralize other elements.
Evaluating the other options:
- Brady and Weil, Tisdale and Nelson, and Biswas and Mukherjee are authors of standard textbooks in soil science and fertility, but did not propose this specific theory.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The criteria of essentiality were propounded by Arnon and Stout in 193