PLSOIL 365 HYDROPONICS
SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR: Allen V. Barker, Professor, Plant & Soil Sciences
202 Bowditch Hall
545-4733 Office hours by arrangement
TEXT: Optional
Jones, J. Benton, Jr. 1997. Hydroponics. St. Lucie Press, Boca Raton, Fla.
Resh, H. M. 1997. Hydroponic Food Production. Woodbridge Press Publishing Company, Santa Barbara, Calif.
FORMAT: Lecture: 1:25 TU TH 209 Bowditch
Laboratory: 2:30-4:25 TU 209 Bowditch &
2:30-4:25 TH Greenhouse
LECTURE TOPICS:
Introduction to soilless culture of plants
Plant nutrition
Nutrient solutions
Media
Systems and techniques of hydroponics
LABORATORY TOPICS:
Instruction and experiments with propagation, nutrient solutions, systems and media for culture of plants, and lighting; field trip; writing of reports.
GRADING:
50% One mid-term examination and final examination.
Examinations will cover materials from lectures and from laboratories.
50% Laboratory (half of the laboratory grade is based on participation and attendance, and half is based on six reports)
Letter grade corresponding to total points earned:
A = 93 - 100 C+ = 77 -79 F (No Grade) = < 60
A- = 90 - 92 C = 73 - 76
B+ = 88 - 89 C- = 70 - 72
B = 83 - 87 D+ = 68 - 69
B- = 80 - 82 D = 60 - 67
LECTURE TOPICS: (About one week (three weeks on plant nutrition) will be spent on each topic designated by a Roman numeral).
I. INTRODUCTION TO SOILLESS CULTURE OF PLANTS
A. History of solution culture
B. Present status of hydroponics
1. Contrasts with soil-based culture
2. Present applications
C. Future developments
II. PLANT NUTRITION
A. Plant composition
B. Essential, mineral elements
1. Functions and effects on plants
2. Nutritional disorders in plants
3. Symptoms
C. Water
1. Relation to nutrition
2. Acquisition by plants
a. Root morphology
(1) In soil
(2) In soilless culture
b. Plant membranes
c. Transport of water
III. NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS
A. Inorganic salts (fertilizers)
1. Macronutrients
2. Micronutrients
B. Formulating, monitoring, and analyzing
C. Impurities
IV. MEDIA
A. Requirements
1. Water
2. Air
3. Nutrients
4. Support
5. Sterility
B. Types
1. Solid
2. Liquid
C. Apparatus--General
V. WATER CULTURE
A. Meeting requirements
B. Early systems
C. Home units
D. Current commercial systems
1. Continuous plant cultivation
2. Nutrient film technique
3. Floating technique
4. Tube culture
5. Aeroponics
VI. GRAVEL CULTURE--Some elements of this topic will be incorporated into lectures that accompany the laboratory on use of solid media.
A. Media
1. Crushed rocks--granite, shale, sandstone
2. Calcareous materials
3. River grades
B. Irrigation
C. Nutrition
D. Other factors in management
VII. SAND CULTURE--Some elements of this topic will be incorporated into lectures that accompany the laboratory on use of solid media.
A. Media
1. Quartz and quartzite
2. River grades
B. Irrigation
C. Nutrition
D. Other factors in management
VIII. SAWDUST AND BARK CULTURE--Some elements of this topic will be incorporated into lectures that accompany the laboratory on use of solid media.
A. Media
1. Sawdust
2. Pine bark
3. Peat and peat-based
4. Sawdust and sand
B. Irrigation
C. Nutrition
D. Bag systems
IX. ROCK WOOL--Some elements of this topic will be incorporated into lectures that accompany the laboratory on use of solid media.
A. Media
1. Slabs
2. Ground wool
B. Systems
X. PERLITE, VERMICULITE, PUMICE--Some elements of this topic will be incorporated into lectures that accompany the laboratory on use of solid media.
XI. PLANT CULTURE--Some elements of this topic will be incorporated into lectures that accompany the laboratory on propagation of plants.
A. Seeding and propagation
B. Transplanting
C. Culture
1. Temperature
a. Air
b. Water
2. Light
3. Spacing
4. Carbon dioxide enrichment
5. Other factors in management
a. Support
b. Plant morphology
c. Pollination
d. Plant varieties
e. Planting schedules
LABORATORY TOPICS:
All subjects will have one to three hours of instruction in lectures during the laboratory periods to supplement the information that is covered in the topics of the lecture syllabus. Six laboratories that involve experiments will require written reports. Most of the experiments will require time for assembling the apparatus, starting, culturing, and harvesting of plants, and recording of data and will run for three to five weeks.
1. Propagation of plants for culture by hydroponics
This laboratory will involve identification of species and cultivars of plants that are suitable for culture by hydroponics and will involve propagation of these plants by seeds or cutting using media that are adapted for use in hydroponics. Two laboratory periods will be required for this experiment. Students will be required to observe the growth of the plants over a time of three weeks. The plants may be used in other laboratories. No report is required for this laboratory.
2. Solution culture and plant nutrient deficiencies
This laboratory introduces the practice of hydroponics by water culture and educates on identification of the symptoms of nutritional stresses. This laboratory will require two periods to complete and will require three or four weekly records of observations on the growth and appearance of plants. A written report of the results of this experiment will be required.
3. Control of acidity of solutions
This experiment demonstrates regulation of pH of nutrient solutions by control of the sources of nitrogen. Plant growth responses to the different acidities and sources or nitrogen are determined. A written report is required.
4. Formulation of nutrient solutions
This laboratory involves the preparation of nutrient solutions through an experiment that compares growth of plants on solutions of various formulations. Factors such as solubility of salts, purity of constituents, buffering of acidity, quality of water, and sources of materials will be considered. This laboratory will require three periods to complete and will require four weekly records of observations on the growth and appearance of plants in liquid culture with the various solutions. A written report is required.
5. Salinity in nutrient solutions
This experiment teaches methods of measurement and calculation of concentration of soluble salts in nutrient solutions. Plants are grown in solutions of varying levels of salinity to demonstrate the effects of saline conditions on growth of plants. A written report is required.
6. Culture of plants by nutrient film technique
This laboratory will train students on the culture of plants in nutrient solution by the technique of using thin layers of water which flow by roots in special apparatus. Several species of plants in different apparatus will be cultured. Five laboratory will be required for completion of the experiments of this laboratory. Four weekly records of observations will be necessary. A written report is required.
7. Evaluation of solid media (unconsolidated materials)
This experiment is a series of laboratories that demonstrates techniques of culture of plants in solid media and to assess growth of plants in sand, gravel, sawdust, and perlite, using fertilizers and nutrient solutions of formulations that are suitable for culture of plants in these media. This laboratory will involve three experiments and will require six periods to complete. Weekly observations over a four- or five-week time span will be necessary to complete the experiments. A written report is required.
8. Evaluation of solid media (consolidated materials)
This laboratory will permit students to learn the techniques of culture of plants on slabs of rock wool and to assess growth of several species of plants on this medium. This laboratory will require three periods to complete and will require weekly observations for four weeks. A written report is required.
9. Lighting of plants
Utilization of lamps to provide supplementary light for growth of plants will be demonstrated and employed. One period will be required. Observations on growth of plants under regimes of supplemental lighting will be made. No report is required
10. Examinations
Examinations for the course will be given during the lecture meetings. Two examinations will be scheduled. One will be near the middle of the semester; the other one will be during the final examination week. Examinations will cover materials taught in laboratory. 11. Instructions on writing of reports.
11. Reports
Part of one laboratory period will be devoted to instructing students on writing of reports of the first experiment and on the writing of reports in the format of a agronomic or horticultural journal.
12. Visit to hydroponics greenhouse
A visit to a one or more local farms that grow vegetables or herbs hydroponically will be made during one or two of the laboratory periods. No report is required.
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Produced and maintained by Your Name Allen V.
Barker
University of
Massachusetts, Amherst.
last updated - March 20, 1999
