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Cited by 229Plant Growth and Agriculture TechniquesGrowth and nutrition in plantsInnovations in Aquaponics and Hydroponics Systems

Electrical conductivity of nutrient solution influenced photosynthesis, quality, and antioxidant enzyme activity of pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. Chinensis) in a hydroponic system

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Ding, Xiaotao, Jiang, Yuping, Zhao, Hong, Guo, Doudou, He, Lizhong, Liu, Fuguang, Zhou, Qiang, Nandwani, Dilip +2 more·2018·PLOS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0202090PMC PMC6114716
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Abstract

To find an electrical conductivity (EC) in the nutrient solution used for pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. Chinensis) cultivation that optimizes the plant's physiology, growth, and quality, we conducted an experiment with eight EC treatments (from EC0 to EC9.6) in a hydroponic production system (i.e. soilless culture) under greenhouse condition in Shanghai, China. Plants biomass production, leaf photosynthesis, vegetable quality variables, tissue nitrate and nitrite contents, and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that very high (EC9.6) or low EC (EC0-0.6) treatments clearly decreased plants fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW), leaf size, leaf water content, leaf net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), and taste score. Nitrite content, and antioxidant enzyme activities were low in medium EC treatments (EC1.8 and EC2.4), but high in very high or low EC treatments. Leaf relative chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, and nitrate contents increased gradually from low EC to high EC treatments, while crude fiber and soluble sugar contents decreased. Based on growth and quality criteria, the optimal EC treatment would be EC1.8 or EC2.4 for pakchoi in the hydroponic production system. Too high or too low EC would induce nutrient stress, enhance plant antioxidant enzyme activities, and suppress pakchoi growth and quality.

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  • The antioxidant activity of plants is affected by the amount of organic matter present in the substrate due to factors such as higher K availability, greater abundance of soluble salts and micronutrients.

    “The antioxidant activity of plants is affected by the amount of organic matter present in the substrate, namely the compost rate in our experiment, due to various factors such as higher K availability since this element is strongly linked to enzymatic activities [56,57], the greater abundance of soluble salts [58] and micronutrients [59].”

    From Mars Regolith Simulant Ameliorated by Compost as in situ Cultivation Substrate Improves Lettuce Growth and Nutritional Aspects (2020) · cites this paper as [58]

    The Results and Discussion (page unavailable in our copy) show that electrical conductivity and salt stress affected antioxidant enzyme activity in hydroponic pakchoi, supporting the point for which [58] is cited. The paper does not establish that compost or substrate organic matter increases soluble salts or thereby changes antioxidant activity; the K and micronutrient points are attached to other citations. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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Authors
Ding, X., Jiang, Y., Zhao, H., Guo, D., He, L., Liu, F., Zhou, Q., Nandwani, D., Hui, D., & Yu, J.
Affiliations
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
  • Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CN)
  • Tennessee State University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Hui, Dafeng
  • Yu, Jizhu
ORCID
Venue
PLOS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2018-08-29
Volume
13
Issue
8
Pages
e0202090
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0202090
PMC
PMC6114716
OpenAlex
W2889339014
Cited by
229
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 7
FWCI
10.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • the National High-tech Research and Development Program (2013AA103006)
  • Shanghai Agriculture Applied Technology Development Program (Grant No.T20170201)
  • Shanghai Science and Technology Committee Program (16DZ2282100)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Plant Growth and Agriculture Techniques
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Growth and nutrition in plants
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Innovations in Aquaponics and Hydroponics Systems
Keywords
electrical conductivity, nutrient solution, Brassica chinensis, Brassica rapa, hydroponics, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, nitrate, nitrite, antioxidant enzymes, vegetable quality, nutritional stress, vitamin C, crude fiber, soluble sugars
MeSH terms
Brassica, Electric Conductivity, Nitrates, Nitrites, Photosynthesis, Plant Proteins, Vegetables, Plant Transpiration, Hydroponics

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