Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Plant roots in mild vacuum

IvX - 15-4-2004 at 02:00

Long time ago when I was first introduced to aeroponics I had the not so bright idea of boiling nutrient solution to plants.Other than bypasing the pump/sprayer I think that this would be benficial to plants since there could be more this way.Afterwards someone pointed outthe obvious of how the roots would die at the temperature of steam at 760 torr.

I gave up then about that but now I'm wondering if it is feasable to have the plant roots in a mild(of say 300 torr)so the tempreture could be reduced.

The idea is purely theretical sinc getting fresh air to the roots would be more hasle than its worth but I'm curious: would the 'essences' of the plant be sucked out due to the presure diference?

Tacho - 15-4-2004 at 03:34

If you boiled the nutrient solution, the nutrients would stay in the boiling pot. It's called distillation.

Aside the practical difficulties of keeping the plant in partial vacuum, I don't think the vegetal’s delicate chemistry would work at a pressure substantially lower than atmospheric. If nothing else, the heat of the sun would increase the evaporation rate terribly.

Blind Angel - 15-4-2004 at 03:34

Maybe due to the osmosis, yes. But i'm not an expert. Osmosis make the nutrient go to the more contrated to the less concentrated media, so if one of your media is a vacuum, then it's surely less concentrated than the interior of the plant.

Saerynide - 15-4-2004 at 06:20

Wouldnt the plant dessicate because the water would escape its roots very easily, as the pressure has been reduced?

IvX - 16-4-2004 at 02:48

I thought so too about the pressure but heard that the aeroflo hookup NASA plans to use in space works at a lower pressure.Just checking and thanks all.

My deepest apologys for forgeting that this is a science and not weed forum :) My idea of aeroponic I guess is actually aero-hydro.

The vapor only wets the roots.Some of the roots are in the nutrient.

[Edited on 16-4-2004 by IvX]