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root zone manipulation
Subterranean Tactics:
Root
Zone
MANIPULATION
IN HYDROPONICS
by Dr. Lynette Morgan
Growers usually tinker with atmospheric conditions
above the soil or substrate level, but not as many know
they can also manipulate the environment around the
root zone and that these subterranean changes can
have a huge impact on plant performance.
W
hile most gardeners understand how changing a crop’s
aerial environment—temperature, light, CO 2 levels, and
more—influences plant growth, fewer know that manipulating
root zones could also potentially improve plant performance or
help overcome difficult growing situations. Commercial hydro-
ponic growers commonly use root zone manipulation tech-
niques to achieve specific goals. Examples include chilling
nutrient solution around the root zone to produce cool-season
crops under tropical conditions, limiting irrigation to improve
fruit compositional quality, and improving root genetics via
the use of rootstocks to boost yields.
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