[mahy-kroh-noo-tree-uh
nt, -nyoo-] 
| an essential nutrient, as a trace mineral or vitamin, that is required by an organism in minute amounts. |
| mi·cro·nu·tri·ent (mī'krō-nōō'trē-ənt, -nyōō'-) n. A substance, such as a vitamin or mineral, that is essential in minute amounts for the proper growth and metabolism of a living organism. |
micronutrient mi·cro·nu·tri·ent (mī'krō-n&oomacr;'trē-ənt, -ny&oomacr;'-)
n.
A substance, such as a vitamin or mineral, that is essential in minute amounts for the proper growth and metabolism of a living organism.
micronutrient
in biology, any chemical element required by living organisms in minute amounts, usually as part of a vital enzyme, a cell-produced catalytic protein. Exact needs vary among species, but commonly required plant micronutrients include copper, boron, zinc, manganese, and molybdenum. Animals also require manganese, iodine, and cobalt. Lack of a necessary plant micronutrient in the soil causes plant deficiency diseases; lack of animal micronutrients in the soil may not harm the plants, but, without them, animals feeding solely on those plants develop deficiency diseases.
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