Premium
A Computational Approach for Water Culture 1
Author(s) -
Asher J. Ben,
Gordon J. M.,
Gale J.,
Kopel R.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1980.00021962007200040017x
Subject(s) - nutrient , nitrate , function (biology) , water flow , root system , limiting , environmental science , chemistry , biological system , mathematics , agronomy , soil science , biology , engineering , mechanical engineering , organic chemistry , evolutionary biology
Water culture methods for commercial crop production are now under research and development. Experiments have been performed primarily to investigate methods for preparing nutrient solutions. The objective of this study, however, was to develop a physical model for a water culture system. A study of nutrient uptake by egg plant ( Solanum melanogena L. var. esculentum ) as a function of both the solution and the root system properties in a soiless culture system is presented. The soiless culture system. is mathematically modelled with a one‐dimensional continuity equation for mass flow. The kinetics of nutrient uptake in the root system are treated in analogy with the kinetics of enzyme catalyzed processes. The system parameters are determined from experimental data for the two limiting cases of negligible and near‐total nutrient depletion from the solution. An experimental procedure which is intended both to test the validity of the mathematical model and to investigate better techniques for water culture systems is described. Both experimental anl theoretical results showed a rapid depletion in the system of the nutrient O 2 , and a more moderate depletion of other nutrients such as nitrate and K ions. The theoretical results can also be used to predict possible combinations of nutrient concentration, length of rows, and rate of water flow which afford optimal operation of the system.