TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT, PLANT GROWTH AND ROOT ENVIRONMENT OF THE PLANT PLANE HYDROPONIC SYSTEM

In 1987 investigations into a new type of hydroponic system -"plant plane hydroponic" (PPH)- were started, in which fleece with different physical characteristics is used as a solid medium. The fleece material is sandwiched between two layers of plastic foils. The nutrient solution flows across a flat plane rather than a narrow channel.

The system permits crop rotation with species requiring different plant spacing, such as tomato and lettuce. The determined dissolved oxygen level of the solution in the root environment averaged more than 80 %. Therefore this system seems to have a positive influence on root growth and performance. On average the shoot/root ratio was 4.8: 1 for cucumber and 4.5:1 for tomato.

In addition, tests have shown that mixed colonies of microbes are available in the root environment. These mainly non-pathogenic microbes produce more than 60 % of CO₂, found in the root environment.