A Preliminary Study on the Best pH Value of Water to Increase the Quality of Echinodorus Bleheri
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Date
2013
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Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
The Aquatic plant export industry of Sri Lanka has been developing rapidly. This industry
requires a continuous supply of high quality plants. Echinodorus bleheri is one of the highest
demanded aquatic plants in export market. Aquatic plants have adapted to life in water with a
specific pH, Temperature, Electrical conductivity and may suffer from even a slight change.
High quality plants can be supplied with in a short time period by finding the best pH value of
water. In the world of plants each plant species is perfectly adapted to a certain pH range of the
soil or water. Aquatic plant hobbyists are usually familiar with the different pH requirements of
various plants and regulate the pH of water appropriately. Hydroponics is proved to have
several advantages over soil gardening. The growth rate on a hydroponic plant is 30-50 percent
faster than a soil plant. A nutrient solution for hydroponic systems is an aqueous solution
containing mainly inorganic ions from soluble salts of essential elements for higher plants.
Eventually, some organic compounds such as iron chelates may be present (Steiner, 1968).
Changing the pH of a nutrient solution affects its composition, elemental speciation and
bioavailability. An important feature of the nutrient solutions is that they must contain the ions
in solution and in chemical forms that can be absorbed by plants, so in hydroponic systems the
plant productivity is closely related with to nutrient uptake and the pH regulation (Marschner,
1995). Each nutrient shows differential responses to changes in pH of the nutrient solution. The
proper pH values of nutrient solution for the development of crops, lies between 5.5 and 6.5.
Plants need the right combination of nutrients to live, grow and reproduce. When plants suffer
from malnutrition, they show symptoms of being unhealthy. Too little or too much of any one
nutrient can cause problems. The main objective of the present study is to find out the best pH
value of water to increase the quality of Echinodorus bleheri.
Methodology
This experiment was conducted under green house condition with 80% shade at Ruvini Aqua
plants Lanka (pvt) Ltd, Koralawella, Moratuwa. Hundred and eighty Echinodorus bleheri plant
pots(containing four plants in each pot) were used for the experiment. Experimental design was
Complete Randomized Design. Fifteen Styrofoam boxes (46 cm×39.5 cm×19.5 cm) were used
to plant them. HANNA (HI98107) portable digital pH meter was used to measure pH and
HANNA portable digital EC meter (HI 98303) was used to measure Electrical Conductivity of
water. Two months aged 180 Echinodorus bleheri plant pots were randomly selected and
uprooted from culture tanks. Plant pots were washed thoroughly after removing sand and other
objects. Randomly selected 12 plant pots were assigned in to a tank and measure the wet weight
of 12 plant pots. Plant pots were planted in 15 Styrofoam boxes. Bottoms of the Styrofoam
boxes were covered by black polythene sheets to prevent the algal growth. Placement of
Styrofoam boxes were decided by lottery method. Five different pH solutions were used for the
experiment as 6.0, 6.5, 7.0 (control), 7.5 and 8.0. Six grams of Albert solution was dissolved in
7 l of water and filtered the solution using a muslin cloth. pH of the solution was measured.
NaOH or HCl was added drop wise until required pH value achieved and maintained the
electrical conductivity 1000-1500 µs level. Prepared pH solutions were kept for 1 hour to see
the fluctuations. pH solutions were poured in to tanks. After 2 days pH solutions of each tank
were removed using manual squeeze water changer pump and filled the solutions again
week, plant pots were
uprooted from Styrofoam boxes and measured the wet weight of each replicate (12 plant pots).
Total lengths of plants were measured using a tape weekly. Number of leaves was counted
weekly. Wet weight of each replicate (12 plant pots) was measured before starting the
experiment and at the end of the experiment. Data obtained from the experiment were analyzed
by Microsoft Word. Treatment significances and significance among individual treatment levels
were analyzed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Description
Keywords
Water Chemistry, Waste Water Treatment, Water Management, Water quality, Aquatic Plant, Aquaculture