A Comparison Of Various Techniques To Evaluate Plant Health For Earth And Space Applications
By growing plants of different moisture contents, the goal is:
• To develop a remote sensing system which can be used to monitor the moisture content of plants from afar.
• To determine the optimal moisture content for maximum health and function of plants.
Future Significance:
• Remote Monitoring
• Plant Research
• Microgravity Farming
Above: The Porous Tube Plant Nutrient Delivery System.
Main Story
This study looked at plants which had access to different amounts of water. This is controlled by the negative potential on the water, causing it to resist being pulled through the pores in the tube to the plant roots. The stress level of the plants was determined through various techniques.
Materials
• Porous Tube Plant Nutrient Delivery System
• Tray A = -1.96kPa, Tray B = -0.98kPa, Tray C = -0.098kPa
• LICOR 6400 Leaf Chamber Fluorometer, ASD Spectrophotometer, Analytical Balance, Metric Ruler, 70oC Oven
Results
• Moisture: Tray A (79.9%), Tray B (81.5%), Tray C (83%)
• Infrared Reflectance: A > B > C (A was the driest)
• Tray B showed superior performance in photosynthesis, non-photochemical quenching, light use efficiency and growth.
• Tray C showed the most inferior results in all of the above.
Conclusions
• Tray A was dehydration stressed
• Tray C was oxygen stressed
• In this study, 81.5% (Tray B) was found to provide for maximum health and function in plants.
• The minute differences in moisture could be accounted for using our techniques, which found results in agreement with each other.
Author: Mary Corbett, Ecology Emphasis Group
Cornell University
Principal Investigators:
Tammy Foster, Dynamac Corporation
Carlton Hall, Dynamac Corporation,
Tom Dreschel, NASA, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
References:
• Dreschel, T., Brown, C., Paistuch, W., Hinkle, C., Knott, W. (1994). Porous Tube Plant Nutrient Delivery System Development: A Device for Nutrient Delivery in Microgravity. Advances in Space Research, 14 (11), 47-51.
• Berry, W., Goldstein, G., Dreschel, T., Wheeler, R., Sager, J., Knott, W. (1992). Water Relations, Gas Exchange and Nutrient Response to a Long Term Constant Water Deficit. Soil Science, 153 (6), 442-451.
• Dreschel, T., Hall, C., Foster, T. (2003). Demonstration of a Porous Tube Hydroponic System to Control Plant Moisture and Growth. NASA Technical Memorandum, In Press.
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