Articles
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT OF SWEETPOTATO GROWN IN NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE
Article number
548_70
Pages
567 – 574
Language
English
Abstract
Studies were conducted on nutrient management strategies of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) grown in nutrient film technique (NFT) to determine an appropriate protocol to ensure adequate nutrient availability for sweetpotato storage root production.
Vine cuttings (0.15 m long) of TU-82-155 sweetpotato were grown in 0.15 x 0.15 x 1.2 m NFT channels in controlled environment walk-in growth chambers.
Plants were spaced 0.25 m within channels spaced 0.25 m apart.
The growth chambers were supplied with a mixture of cool white fluorescent (CWF) and incandescent (INC) lamps providing irradiance at canopy level of 500 mol m-2s-1. Treatments were: (1) one-third strength Hoagland solution (1/3), (2) a one-half strength Hoagland concentrated ten times (10X), and (3) a one-half strength Hoagland concentrated twenty times (20X). The nutrient solutions were replenished once per week as follows: the 1/3 stock was added as is, while the 10X and 20X stocks were added based on EC after deionized water was added to the reservoirs.
Nutrient solution pH was adjusted to 6.0 at each replenishment by the addition of either dilute NaOH or HCl.
Biomass production was similar among treatments.
The main response was a significant decrease in foliage dry weight of plants replenished with 10X vs. 1/3, but storage root yields were similar.
Nutrient solution pH tended to be low especially after 28 DAP. Based on EC, nutrient uptake was most active between 50 and 90 DAP. These results indicate that sweetpotato can be grown successfully in NFT with either of the protocols used in this study.
Vine cuttings (0.15 m long) of TU-82-155 sweetpotato were grown in 0.15 x 0.15 x 1.2 m NFT channels in controlled environment walk-in growth chambers.
Plants were spaced 0.25 m within channels spaced 0.25 m apart.
The growth chambers were supplied with a mixture of cool white fluorescent (CWF) and incandescent (INC) lamps providing irradiance at canopy level of 500 mol m-2s-1. Treatments were: (1) one-third strength Hoagland solution (1/3), (2) a one-half strength Hoagland concentrated ten times (10X), and (3) a one-half strength Hoagland concentrated twenty times (20X). The nutrient solutions were replenished once per week as follows: the 1/3 stock was added as is, while the 10X and 20X stocks were added based on EC after deionized water was added to the reservoirs.
Nutrient solution pH was adjusted to 6.0 at each replenishment by the addition of either dilute NaOH or HCl.
Biomass production was similar among treatments.
The main response was a significant decrease in foliage dry weight of plants replenished with 10X vs. 1/3, but storage root yields were similar.
Nutrient solution pH tended to be low especially after 28 DAP. Based on EC, nutrient uptake was most active between 50 and 90 DAP. These results indicate that sweetpotato can be grown successfully in NFT with either of the protocols used in this study.
Authors
D.G. Mortley, C.K. Bonsi, J.H. Hill, W.A. Hill
Keywords
Ipomoea batatas, hydroponics, plant nutrition
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