Hello everyone,
I am growing tomatoes plants in greenhouse on an inert substrate consisted of only perlite.
I would like to apply potassium K stress and thus I would like to use Hoagland nutrient solution.
As the nutrient solution is described for hydroponics, I was wondering whether it is useful to apply it also on perlite, and in case yes what is the procedure?
I could not find in literature but in case someone knows anything or knows a good paper please let me know.
Thanks
Ali Ahmad
Thanks for the suggestion!, I am wondering as well for the sake of removing the nutrient, whether some nutrients can remain in perlite after the application of the solution?
Do you think that by washing the substrate with dH2o can solve the issue?
Yes you can use after adjusting the concentration of other nutrients, will resulting controlled application of Potassium
Perlite is inert, which means it will not block the nutrients. Washing the perlite is not necessary.
Hydroponics is just a general description for cultivation in soilless culture which includes cultivation on perlite.
Hoagland solution would be fine to use but remember this is a rather generic solution. You can make solutions that are more specific for tomatoes.
You can download a manual at:
htpps://www.eurofins-agro.com/en/nutrient-solutions-greenhouses
However it is not clear for me why you want potassium deficiency? Tomatoes (the fruit) actual needs a lot of potassium.
If needed I can make a fertilizer plan for you if you have an analysis of your fresh water
You grow plants in perlite with hydroponic solution which has all main and trace elements like Hoagland solution. Therefore if you use hydroponic solution in perlite you should not have any K deficiency. If you have it means something wrong in your liquid feed. Check the hydroponic solution if it is calculated properly.
Servet Varış and I.V.Srinivasa Reddy thanks for the reply I will take that into account.
Herman Eijkelboom Thanks so much for the clear reply and for the advice. I will get back to you later by email.
If you want to create K deficiency on plants in perlite, omit the K source. The standard solution for tomatoes will have K :Ca: Mg=5-3.2-1 ratio. If you cancel the K, you will have Ca: Mg = 3.2-1 ratio and some K residue from the previous feed. But the K residue will not affect the plant because high Ca and Mg in the solution. Washing perlite with clear water helps to reduce the K residue as well. Although perlite is inert, some nutrients can still stay as residue, especially towards the end of the season and salinity may increase. The EC of the liquid feed is gradually reduced towards the end of the season to reduce the salinity in perlite bags for the new season.
You can use not only the Hoagland solution but the other hydroponic tomato feeds as well to create K deficiency in the plants just omit the K source in the liquid feed.
According your question you may adjust concentration of all nutrients of the Hoagland solution in order to check potassium control. You may also take care about the varieties you are using for your work.
Since the Hoagland solution contains different nutrients including potassium, you may look to minus potassium from your recipe so that it can not interfere with your intended objective.
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