APPLICATION OF POLYMER AS A MEANS OF WATER AND NUTRIENT ELEMENTS SAVING IN OPEN-AIR HYDROPONICS

Creation of optimal conditions for plant roots, with minimal expense of water and nutrient elements, is one of the most important theoretical and practical issues in soilless culture.
Thereby the use of substrates with polymer can be exceptionally promising.
The studies were carried out in the open-air hydroponics conditions, in the Ararat Valley.
The influence of strongly swelling 87C polymer, synthesized on the basis of Na⁺ in Yerevan Institute “Plastpolymer”, on the productivity, physiological-biochemical and pharmacochemical characteristics of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) were studied.
The results have shown that the combination of gravel, volcanic slag (1:1) and polymers (80 g/m³) at an irrigation frequency of once every two days provided the maximal yield.
This treatment also resulted in increased levels of medicinal raw material (1.3-folds), essential oils and tannins content (1.1-1.2-folds) in comparison with the control variant.
Extraction of essential oils, extractives and tannins from the plants resulted in 1.6, 1.4 and 1.5-fold yields correspondingly in comparison to the control.
Physiological-biochemical studies showed that the use of polymer promoted the increase of water-holding capacity in plant tissues by 30-40% and intensity of biosynthesis of photosynthesis pigments (by 17%) and vitamin C (by 11%). So, the use of 87C polymer not only promoted high productivity of the plant, but also saved water and nutrient elements (up to four times).

XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Greenhouse 2010 and Soilless Cultivation

KH.S. Mayrapetyan, J.S. Alexanyan, A.H. Tadevosyan , S.KH. Mayrapetyan

soilless cultivation, sweet basil, productivity, essential oil, extractives

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.927.115