"Oxygen (O2) has a major role in farming as it is essential in plant metabolic processes like carbohydrate metabolism and nutrient absorption through the roots. The oxygen content of the growing media affects the root orientation and metabolism. Roots avoid areas where oxygen content is low and it causes uneven root growth. Oxitropism is the phenomenon where roots grow towards oxygen. Rhizosphere must be continuously provided with sufficient amount of oxygen," explained research manager Martti Latva from Satakunta University of Applied Sciences in a seminar at the Wander Institute.
"Lack of oxygen can cause problems with water uptake and evaporation which hinders growth and decreases crop size," he continued. "Especially in organic growing media where microbes are very active, low oxygen content can predispose plants to pathogen infection of e.g. pythium. In anaerobic conditions, roots grow weaker and pythium can spread more easily."
According to Martti, irrigation is one of the most challenging phases in cultivation. "A too small amount of irrigation water can cause growing media to build up in salinity. Especially in warm conditions, this predisposes plants to ammonium toxication. The growing media can overheat in direct sunlight which causes root death due to lack of oxygen. Roots growing on the bottom of the growing troughs can also indicate oxygen deficiency."
"Several studies have proven that high oxygen content of water, either in nutrient solution or in growing media, speeds up plant development and increases crop yield. A sufficient amount of oxygen improves growth-related processes and enhances photosynthesis and water- and nutrient uptake of plants. This decreases the need for fertilizers and pesticides which reduces the environmental impact of cultivation," he concludes.
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