Following the first part of our webinar on: How to identify and handle nutrient deficiency - Macro and secondary nutrients,
we received this following question:
Question:
The correct EC level should be 1.5: it should be 1.5 in the soil? In the dipper?
Answer:
Thank for participation in the webinar of Macro-nutrients.
What we mean and discuss with the slide, mentioned below is the amount of EC which we send to the plant or we can say, what’s coming out of the dripper. Of course we know that we have many crops, many varieties. Every crop has his own EC requirements, pH requirements, etc ,etc but in general we can say around EC 1,5 coming out of the drip Near this we have EC coming from water (by using water from well or tab) and fertilizer In soil or soilless (rockwool or cocopeat) we see most of the time higher EC levels.
Question:
questions related to root pressure:
- Could you explain to me the relation (+ or -) of the following factors on affecting positively the root pressure: Root temperature, Moisture %, substrate, EC and pH?
- Are there other factors in the rootzone influencing the strength of the root pressure?
- Does root pressure leads to uptake of elements in the same ratio as they are present in the nutrient solution or is there some kind of selection process that alters the ratio between the nutrients (like happening with active uptake by the roots).
Answer:
Basically root pressure is generated by osmotic pressure crated in the root cells this in turn causes negative water potential in the root which draws the water threw the xylem and "pushes" it to the plant organs. Root pressure effects on water uptake mainly when there is low transpiration during cloudy day or at night. When the root temperature is low plant metabolism decrease and with it the ability to generate root pressure
In order to generate root pressure water content in the slab must be high with low WC root pressure will not be effective.
When EC is too high the high concentration of minerals in solution will limit water uptake as well. pH doesn't have an actual affect on root pressure water uptake. The nutrient uptake by the root pressure is passive with the water flow, hence the nutrients uptake ratio will be in the same ratio as it in the solution.
Have any question?
I am inviting you to ask me everything regarding your crops. I will share my tips & recommendations here in Haifa's blog. For questions write to:
Joshua.Golovaty@haifa-group.com
