Glossary term
macronutrient
Definition
In human nutrition, a nutrient that is required in large amounts and provides the energy needed to maintain body functions and carry out the activities of daily life. There are three macronutrients – carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
In agriculture, a macronutrient is any of the chemical elements required by plants in relatively large amounts: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur and calcium.