Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic Solution

Hydroponic systems are efficient for studying plant nutrition. It is often desirable to adjust individual nutrients for unique species’ needs and/or to create multiple nutrient deficiencies within the same study. However, this is challenging to do with traditional solutions as nutrients are generall...

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Main Authors: David L. Cole, Savannah J. Kobza, Savannah R. Fahning, Samuel H. Stapley, Dicken K. A. Bonsrah, Rachel L. Buck, Bryan G. Hopkins
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/523
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author David L. Cole
Savannah J. Kobza
Savannah R. Fahning
Samuel H. Stapley
Dicken K. A. Bonsrah
Rachel L. Buck
Bryan G. Hopkins
author_facet David L. Cole
Savannah J. Kobza
Savannah R. Fahning
Samuel H. Stapley
Dicken K. A. Bonsrah
Rachel L. Buck
Bryan G. Hopkins
author_sort David L. Cole
collection DOAJ
description Hydroponic systems are efficient for studying plant nutrition. It is often desirable to adjust individual nutrients for unique species’ needs and/or to create multiple nutrient deficiencies within the same study. However, this is challenging to do with traditional solutions as nutrients are generally added as dual nutrient salts, such as when varying phosphorus (P) concentration also affects nitrogen concentration; potentially, the chemical form of the nutrient taken up when ammonium phosphate is the source for P. This can create unintended consequences with nutrients other than those intended for adjustment. A new hydroponic system has been created to allow for nutrient deficiencies using single-nutrient sources, including ammonium nitrate; phosphoric, sulfuric, hydrochloric, and boric acids; potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper carbonates; manganese acetate; sodium molybdate; iron EDDHA; with HEDTA as an additional chelate. This nutrient solution was compared to a traditional “Hoagland” hydroponic solution to grow soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> (L.) Merr). Additional treatments included alteration of pH in the new solution as well as evaluating varying levels of calcium, magnesium, and manganese. This new solution proved effective, as soybean was grown to maturity and performed as well as the traditional Hoagland solution. Adjusting pH downward with hydrochloric acid resulted in healthy plants, but solution pH was not adequately buffered. Adjusting pH with acetic acid resulted in toxicity. Further work is required to provide better pH buffering and approximately align tissue nutrient concentrations with field-grown soybean.
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spelling doaj.art-fff43d8abf0e4ded8f73505d2d3b0ab52023-11-21T10:03:48ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-03-0111352310.3390/agronomy11030523Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic SolutionDavid L. Cole0Savannah J. Kobza1Savannah R. Fahning2Samuel H. Stapley3Dicken K. A. Bonsrah4Rachel L. Buck5Bryan G. Hopkins6Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USAPlant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USAPlant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USAPlant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USAPlant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USAPlant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USAPlant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USAHydroponic systems are efficient for studying plant nutrition. It is often desirable to adjust individual nutrients for unique species’ needs and/or to create multiple nutrient deficiencies within the same study. However, this is challenging to do with traditional solutions as nutrients are generally added as dual nutrient salts, such as when varying phosphorus (P) concentration also affects nitrogen concentration; potentially, the chemical form of the nutrient taken up when ammonium phosphate is the source for P. This can create unintended consequences with nutrients other than those intended for adjustment. A new hydroponic system has been created to allow for nutrient deficiencies using single-nutrient sources, including ammonium nitrate; phosphoric, sulfuric, hydrochloric, and boric acids; potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper carbonates; manganese acetate; sodium molybdate; iron EDDHA; with HEDTA as an additional chelate. This nutrient solution was compared to a traditional “Hoagland” hydroponic solution to grow soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> (L.) Merr). Additional treatments included alteration of pH in the new solution as well as evaluating varying levels of calcium, magnesium, and manganese. This new solution proved effective, as soybean was grown to maturity and performed as well as the traditional Hoagland solution. Adjusting pH downward with hydrochloric acid resulted in healthy plants, but solution pH was not adequately buffered. Adjusting pH with acetic acid resulted in toxicity. Further work is required to provide better pH buffering and approximately align tissue nutrient concentrations with field-grown soybean.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/523<i>Glycine max</i>soybeannutrient uptakehydroponiccalciummagnesium
spellingShingle David L. Cole
Savannah J. Kobza
Savannah R. Fahning
Samuel H. Stapley
Dicken K. A. Bonsrah
Rachel L. Buck
Bryan G. Hopkins
Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic Solution
Agronomy
<i>Glycine max</i>
soybean
nutrient uptake
hydroponic
calcium
magnesium
title Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic Solution
title_full Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic Solution
title_fullStr Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic Solution
title_full_unstemmed Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic Solution
title_short Soybean Nutrition in a Novel Single-Nutrient Source Hydroponic Solution
title_sort soybean nutrition in a novel single nutrient source hydroponic solution
topic <i>Glycine max</i>
soybean
nutrient uptake
hydroponic
calcium
magnesium
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/523
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