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Optimizing The Physical And Nutritional Environment Of Unleached Root-Zones, Curtis B. Adams
Optimizing The Physical And Nutritional Environment Of Unleached Root-Zones, Curtis B. Adams
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Unleached root-zones represent an environmental ideal by eliminating wasteful leaching of nutrients and water. NASA grows plants in space in unleached root-zones, incorporating polymer-coated fertilizer (PCF) into a ceramic media (Turface or Profile). However, lack of growth productivity in space has led to the need for research to improve the nutritional and physical environment of the root-zone, which is the objective of this research. PCF types are diverse in release characteristics and the effects of temperature and substrate water content have not been well characterized. In spite of widespread use, studies on chemical properties and applied studies to verify soil …