Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

5-2006

School/College

College of Science, Engineering, and Technology (COSET)

Degree Name

MS in Biology

First Advisor

Professor Olufisayo Jejelowo

Abstract

Microbial contamination of hydroponics systems continues to be a major concern in life support experimental trials. Research shows that when silicon is readily available to monocotyledonous plants, it plays a large role in their growth, mineral nutrition, mechanical strength and resistance to fungal disease. Also, omission of silicon from solution cultures may lead to distorted results in experiments on inorganic plant nutrition, growth, development and responses to environmental stress. Silicon has been shown to accumulate in tissues of various dicotyledonous plants, for example, cucumber and in monocotyledonous plants for example rice and wheat. However, it remains unclear whether or not silicon acts by directly promoting production. Research shows that amending nutrient solutions with sodium silicate controlled the incidence of powdery mildew, while silicon untreated plants suffered natural outbreaks. Therefore, information from current literature suggested that it is worthwhile to investigate the uptake of silicon. Wheat was the sample crop used in this experiment. Silicon content in different plant tissues were analyzed using SEM X-ray Microanalyzer. Results indicate that Silicon plays a major role in wheat plant grown in hydroponic systems. Silicon increased grain yield in wheat and reduced fungal infection of wheat. 1 2 Microbial contamination of hydroponics systems continues to be a major concern in life support experimental trials. The total fungal growth has been found to be above OSHA standard. Resear-2h shows that when silicon is readily available to monocotyledonous plants, it plays a large role in their growth, mineral nutrition, mechanical strength and resistance to fungal disease. Also, omission of silicon from solution cultures may lead to distorted results in experiments on inorganic plant nutrition, growth, development and responses to environmental stress. Silicon has been shown to accumulate in tissues of various dicotyledonous plants, for example, cucumber, citrus spp., black raspberry and strawberry. Rice, a monocotyledonous plant, is also known to be a Silicon accumulator. However, it remains unclear whether or not silicon acts by directly promoting production. Growers claim that it improves vigor of the plants and offer disease protection against powdery mildew and root rot caused by phytium spp., Scientists from Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom have reported that amending nutrient solutions with sodium silicate controlled the incidence of powdery mildew, while silicon untreated plants suffered natural outbreaks. Therefore, information from current literature suggests that it is worthwhile to investigate the uptake of silicon. Wheat will be used in this experiment. A parallel investigation will be carried out on the effect of silicon on mold development in wheat. Integration of information obtained from the parallel studies would be useful in enhancing crop production in hydroponics.

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