Soil free nutrient availability to plants

Abstract

Hydroponics has been used as one of the standard methods for many types of research in plant biology using different nutrients. The aim of the present study is to understand the nutrient solution in hydroponics. In hydroponics, the nutrient solution is referred to as a nutrient containing various essential elements, which is used to feed plants instead of plain water. There is no ideal nutrient solution for any type of hydroponics system. Yet, some solutions include 16 elements that are suitable for several crops under a wide range of cropping and environmental conditions. The concept of balance among the cations and anions is the main focus of nutrient solution preparation. The specific nutrient solution is prepared from essential elements containing macro and micronutrients necessary for plant growth, development, and functional role. Hydroponic technology is less forgiving than soil because plants grown in hydroponics show deficiency or toxicity symptoms due to nutrients as quickly as soil. Nutrient solution management in hydroponics technology is essential, easy, and accurate as electrical conductivity, pH, oxygen content, and temperature can be manipulated. The synergistic (positive) nutrient interactions must be maximized for optimal nutrient use efficiency, whereas antagonistic (negative) nutrient interactions must be minimized. The composition, chemical forms, and absorption capacity of nutrients by plants in hydroponics are crucial for specific crop's growth and development. Even many researchers concluded that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) had drawn attention to an important role in contributing to mineral nutrition of plant.

Keywords:

• absorption
• antagonism
• deficiency
• function
• nutrients
• synergy
• toxicity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This has reference to our manuscript all the authors involved in this paper declare that the University Grant Commission supported the present work, Government of India, under the Scheme UGC-NET JRF program grant number, is 1382/(OBC)(NET-JUNE2015). This work was supported by a HiMedia Laboratories Private Limited, Mumbai, India, and University Grant Commission, Government of India.