Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, Seventh Edition

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ISBN: 9781439878675 | 1439878676
Cover: Hardcover
Copyright: 8/9/2012

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This comprehensive, practical guide to soilless growing practices provides detailed information on how to design, set up, and operate hydroponic culture systems. Featuring 550 photographs, drawings, and tables, the seventh edition of this best-selling book has been extensively updated and expanded. The text describes the most successful growing cultures to use with specific crops and details media as well as hydroponic techniques. Chapters cover nutrient uptake and mixing as well as deficiencies and their symptoms, plant nutrition, nutrient solution, water culture, tropical hydroponics and special applications, plant culture, nutrient film technique, gravel culture, and more.

Preface to the Seventh Edition	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Author	p. xvii
List of Figures	p. xix
List of Tables	p. xxxv
Introduction	p. 1
The Past	p. 1
The Present	p. 2
The Future	p. 4
Suitable Site Characteristics	p. 5
Soil versus Soilless Culture	p. 6
References	p. 8
Plant Nutrition	p. 9
Plant Constituents	p. 9
Mineral and Essential Elements	p. 9
Plant Mineral and Water Uptake	p. 12
Soil	p. 12
Soil and Plant Interrelations	p. 14
Cation Exchange	p. 14
Soil versus Hydroponics	p. 15
Transfer of Water and Solutes from Soil (or Nutrient Solution) to Root	p. 15
Movement of Water and Minerals across Membranes	p. 16
Upward Movement of Water and Nutrients	p. 18
Plant Nutrition	p. 19
Nutritional Disorders	p. 20
Symptomatology	p. 21
Use of a Key	p. 22
References	p. 29
Nutrient Solution	p. 31
Inorganic Salts (Fertilizers)	p. 31
Recommended Compounds for Complete Nutrient Solutions	p. 32
Fertilizer Chemical Analyses	p. 35
Fertilizer Impurities	p. 37
Nutrient Formulations	p. 37
Atomic and Molecular Weights	p. 38
Calculations of Nutrient Formulations	p. 40
Calculations for Chemical Substitutions for Fertilizers	p. 45
Nutrient Formulation Adjustments	p. 49
Nutrient Stock Solutions	p. 51
Injector or Proportioner System	p. 51
Stock Solutions	p. 58
Preparing the Nutrient Solution	p. 78
Preparing Normal Strength Solutions	p. 78
Preparing Stock Solutions	p. 79
Plant Relations and Cause of Nutrient Solution Changes	p. 80
Nutrient Analysis	p. 80
Plant Tissue Analysis	p. 81
Changing of Solutions	p. 82
Adjustment of Nutrient Solutions by Use of Electrical Conductivity	p. 83
Maintenance of Solution Volume	p. 87
References	p. 88
The Medium	p. 89
Medium Characteristics	p. 89
Water Characteristics	p. 90
Irrigation	p. 93
Pumping of Nutrient Solution into Beds	p. 94
Sterilization of Medium	p. 95
References	p. 96
Water Culture	p. 97
Introduction	p. 97
Raceway, Raft, or Floating System	p. 97
Small and Medium-Sized Commercial Raft Systems	p. 100
Large Commercial Raft Culture Systems	p. 108
Aeroponics	p. 119
Hydroponic Grass Units	p. 123
Alfalfa and Bean Sprouts	p. 129
Alfalfa Culture	p. 129
Mung Bean Culture	p. 132
Microgreens	p. 134
References	p. 142
Nutrient Film Technique	p. 145
Introduction	p. 145
Early NFT System	p. 145
Later NFT Systems	p. 145
Commercial NFT Systems	p. 146
Nutrient Flow Technique: Vertical Pipes, A-Frame, or Cascade Systems	p. 147
Gutter and Pipe NFT Channel Systems	p. 149
Agri-Systems NET	p. 155
Hortiplan Automated NFT System	p. 160
Outdoor NET Watercress	p. 173
Ebb-and-Flow (Flood) Systems	p. 188
A-Frame NFT System	p. 192
Summary	p. 196
References	p. 196
Gravel Culture	p. 199
Introduction	p. 199
Media Characteristics	p. 199
Subirrigation Gravel Culture	p. 200
Frequency of Irrigation	p. 200
Speed of Pumping and Drainage	p. 201
Effect of Irrigation Cycle on Plant Growth	p. 202
Height of Irrigation	p. 202
Nutrient Solution Temperature	p. 202
Greenhouse Subirrigation System	p. 203
Construction Materials	p. 203
Beds	p. 203
Plenum	p. 205
Nutrient Tank	p. 206
Trickle Irrigation Design	p. 209
Advantages and Disadvantages of Trickle Irrigation	p. 214
Sterilization of Gravel between Crops	p. 215
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gravel Culture	p. 215
References	p. 216
Sand Culture	p. 217
Introduction	p. 217
Medium Characteristics	p. 217
Structural Details	p. 218
Beds with Plastic Liner	p. 218
Greenhouse Floors Lined with Polyethylene	p. 218
Drip (Trickle) Irrigation System	p. 220
Planning a Drip Irrigation System	p. 220
Watering	p. 223
Sterilization of Sand Beds between Crops	p. 224
Sand Culture of Herbs	p. 224
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sand Culture	p. 229
References	p. 230
Sawdust Culture	p. 231
Introduction	p. 231
Growing Medium	p. 231
Bed System	p. 232
Bag System	p. 233
Nutrient Solution Distribution System	p. 240
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sawdust Culture	p. 242
References	p. 243
Rockwool Culture	p. 245
Introduction	p. 245
North American Greenhouse Vegetable Industry	p. 246
World Greenhouse Vegetable Industry	p. 247
Rockwool Composition	p. 248
Rockwool Cubes and Blocks	p. 249
Rockwool Slabs	p. 252
Rockwool Layout	p. 253
Irrigation System	p. 254
Cucumbers in Rockwool	p. 259
Tomatoes in Rockwool	p. 264
Large Greenhouse Operations in North America	p. 269
Harvesting, Grading, and Packing	p. 273
Peppers in Rockwool	p. 284
Recirculating Rockwool Systems	p. 286
Advantages and Disadvantages of Rockwool Culture	p. 291
References	p. 292
Coco Coir Culture	p. 293
Introduction	p. 293
Source of Coco Coir	p. 293
Coco Coir Grades and Characteristics	p. 294
Coco Plugs and Blocks	p. 295
Sustainable Agriculture Greenhouse Technology	p. 297
Tomatoes in Coco Coir	p. 302
Advantages and Disadvantages of Coco Coir Culture	p. 307
References	p. 308
Other Soilless Cultures	p. 309
Introduction	p. 309
Media	p. 309
Peat	p. 309
Vermiculite	p. 309
Perlite	p. 310
Pumice	p. 310
Rice Hulls	p. 310
Soilless Mixtures	p. 311
The U.C. Mix	p. 311
The Cornell "Peat-Lite" Mixes	p. 312.
Fertilizer, Sphagnum Peat Moss, and Vermiculite Mixture	p. 312
Coco Coir	p. 313
Hydroponic Herbs	p. 313
Growing Herbs in a Peat-Lite Mix	p. 314
Herbs in Rice Hulls	p. 319
Foam Culture	p. 323
Perlite Culture	p. 324
Perlite Blocks and Slabs	p. 324
Perlite Bato Buckets	p. 326
Eggplants in Perlite Culture	p. 331
Column Culture	p. 334
Sack Culture	p. 340
Sterilization of Medium	p. 344
Advantages and Disadvantages of Peat and Coco Coir Mixtures	p. 344
References	p. 346
Tropical Hydroponics and Special Applications	p. 349
Introduction	p. 349
Hidroponias Venezolanas	p. 349
Sand Culture in the Tropics	p. 350
Ebb-and-Flood Water Culture of Watercress	p. 361
Rice Hulls-Coco Coir Culture of Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers	p. 366
Special Applications	p. 370
Hydroponics and Resorts and Spas	p. 370
Hydroponic Rooftop Greenhouses	p. 372
Automated Vertical Hydroponic Systems	p. 379
The Science Barge	p. 383
References	p. 384
Plant Culture	p. 387
Introduction	p. 387
Seeding	p. 387
Seedling Production	p. 390
Tomato Seedling Culture	p. 390
Cucumber Seedling Culture	p. 393
Pepper Seedling Culture	p. 395
Eggplant Seedling Culture	p. 398
Lettuce Seedling Culture	p. 398
Herb Seedling Culture	p. 399
Plant-Growing Temperature	p. 401
Light	p. 401
Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD)	p. 403
Carbon Dioxide Enrichment	p. 404
Transplanting	p. 404
Spacing	p. 405
Vegetative versus Generative Growth	p. 406
Irrigation (Fertigation)	p. 407
Plant Support	p. 408
Suckering and Training (Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, and Eggplants)	p. 410
Pollination	p. 428
Physiological Disorders	p. 432
Diseases and Insects	p. 437
Some Common Tomato Diseases	p. 437
Some Common Cucumber Diseases	p. 439
Insects	p. 442
Vegetable Varieties	p. 461
Tomatoes	p. 463
Cucumbers	p. 463
Peppers	p. 463
Eggplants	p. 464
Lettuce	p. 464
Green Grafting	p. 465
Planting Schedules	p. 469
Crop Termination	p. 471
Special Considerations	p. 471
References	p. 473
Horticultural, Hydroponic, and Soilless-Culture Societies	p. 475
Greenhouse Production Resources	p. 477
Research Extension Services for Publications	p. 477
Some Soil and Plant-Tissue Testing Laboratories	p. 477
Biological-Control Agents	p. 479
Producers	p. 479
Distributors	p. 479
Sources of Information on Biological Control	p. 480
Reference	p. 480
Special Hydroponic Equipment	p. 480
Units of Measurement-Conversion Factors	p. 483
Physical Constants of Inorganic Compounds	p. 485
Greenhouse and Hydroponic Suppliers	p. 487
Biocontrol Agents	p. 487
Microbials/Bioagents	p. 487
Pollinators (Bombus sp.)	p. 487
Greenhouse Structures, Coverings, and Equipment	p. 488
Greenhouse Shading Materials	p. 489
Growing Media and Supplies	p. 489
Irrigation Equipment	p. 490
Seeds	p. 491
Sprout Supplies	p. 491
Bibliography	p. 493
Hydroponics	p. 493
General	p. 493
Publications	p. 493
Articles	p. 497
Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)	p. 503
Publications	p. 503
Articles	p. 504
Insect and Disease Control	p. 507
Professional Publications and Research Journals	p. 510
Trade Magazines and Periodicals	p. 511
Index	p. 513
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Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, Seventh Edition

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Table of Contents

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