Nutrient Capture from Aqueous Waste and Photocontrolled Fertilizer Delivery to Tomato Plants Using Fe(III)–Polysaccharide Hydrogels
M. H. Jayan S. Karunarathna, Kerri M. Bailey, Bethany L. Ash, Paul G. Matson, Hans Wildschutte, Timothy W. Davis, W. Robert Midden, Alexis D. Ostrowski
Abstract
uptake. Tomato plant trials carried out with Fe(III)-alginate hydrogel beads in greenhouse conditions showed controlled nutrient delivery for the plants compared to fertilizer solution with the same nutrient content. Plants showed an uptake of Fe from the gel beads, and Fe(III)-alginate hydrogel beads promoted root growth of the plants. The plants treated with nutrient-loaded Fe(III)-alginate hydrogels yielded comparable tomato harvest to plants treated with the conventional fertilizer solution.
Topics & Concepts
FertilizerNutrientSelf-healing hydrogelsChemistryAqueous solutionAmmoniumNitratePhosphateAgronomyBiochemistryOrganic chemistryBiologyPolymer-Based Agricultural EnhancementsPhosphorus and nutrient managementSolar-Powered Water Purification Methods