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An automated greenhouse sand culture system suitable for studies of P nutrition
Author(s) -
LYNCH J.,
EPSTEIN E.,
LÄUCHLI A.,
WEIGHT G. I.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.1990.tb01071.x
Subject(s) - point of delivery , phaseolus , inoculation , nutrient , greenhouse , horticulture , yield (engineering) , irrigation , biology , agronomy , chemistry , physics , ecology , thermodynamics
Abstract. Maintenance of realistically low solution P concentrations under controlled conditions is a major difficulty in studies of P nutrition. In this report, we describe a relatively simple and economical sand culture system capable of sustaining plant growth to maturity under controlled yet realistic P regimes. The system uses Al 2 O 3 as a solid‐phase P buffer, and modern process control technology to control irrigation and addition of other mineral nutrients. Aspects of the design, use and potential applications of automated solid‐phase systems are discussed. The system was used to grow Phaseolus vulgaris to matarity at 0.4 mmol m 3 , 1.0 mmol m 3 and 27 mmol m 3 P with and without mycorrhizal inoculation. At flowering, low solution P concentrations were associated with reduced leaf concentrations of P in nonmycorrhizal plants, and reduced leaf concentrations of Ca in both mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal inoculation increased leaf P, K, Mg and Mn concentrations, but reduced leaf N concentration. Low P regimes reduced final seed yield by diminishing both the number of pods per plant and the number of seeds per pod. Mycorrhizal inoculation significantly enhanced seed yield under low P regimes by increasing seed weight, the number of pods per plant, and the number of seeds per pod.