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Hydroponic Glossary Of Terms
Have you ever wondered what is involved in Hydroponic gardening? In order to understand how to use hydroponics for gardening you will need to understand the terminology of the various parts. You will notice that some of these terms are similar to regular gardening as well.
Organic - Embellishes a commitment to an agriculture method which strives for a balance with nature, using methods and materials that are of low impact to the environment. Organic Production Systems include: Replenish and maintain soil fertility; Eliminate the use of toxic and persistent chemical pesticides and fertilizers; Build a biologically diverse agriculture. Organic foods are minimally processed to maintain the integrity of the food without artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation.
Osmosis - the flow or diffusion that takes place through a semipermeable membrane typically separating a solvent and a solution that strives to bring about a condition of equilibrium.
Ovary - In flowering plants, the part of the flower which encloses the ovules. When the ovary matures, it becomes the fruit.
Oxygen - A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. Most life on earth requires oxygen to live. Animals breathe oxygen out of the air or water. Plants also need oxygen, even though they produce oxygen by photosynthesis.
Ozone - A gas, O3, which is very reactive. It is used as a sterilizing agent to kill bacteria and small organisms in the water. It is usually produced by an ozone generator. It is important not to use too much ozone, as excess ozone can harm people and other creatures.
PAR - Is the light in the whole wavelength band from 400 nm (deep violet) to 700 nm (dark red) used by plants in photosynthesis; however, small portions of the wavelength are not used by plants. Example: Plants do not use green wavelengths.
Parthenocarpy - Process in which an unfertilized egg develops into a new individual; common among insects, some plants, and some other arthropods. Example: Seedless watermelons, grapes, and bananas.
Parts per million - a ratio figure that represents the amount of one substance that is in one million parts of another substance; commonly used to describe the relative concentrations of nutrient solutions.
Pathogen - Any disease-producing agent (especially a virus or bacterium or other microorganism).
Perennial - Plant that lives for three or more years, producing leaves and stems each year from rootstock, crown buds, or branches.
Perlite - A lightweight medium made from volcanic glass that has been heated to 1,600 °F, useful in opening cavities to allow water and air to reach the roots; often used in potting soils.
Pest - Any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or other organisms and/or their products.
Pesticide - A chemical compound used to kill specific pests (plant or animal). Insecticides control insects; herbicides control plants.
Petiole - The "stalk" attaching the leaf to the stem.
pH - Refers to the "percent of hydrogen" ions in a volume of water. Pure water contains an equal amount of hydrogen and hydroxide ions; therefore they cancel each other out. Acidic water (pH < 7) has a higher number of hydrogen relative to hydroxide, and vice versa for basic water. Individual species of plants prefer different pH ranges for optimal growth and development.
Phloem - The specialized vascular plant tissue used for the transportation of dissolved sugars and other organic solutes within a plant.
Phosphorus - A primary plant macronutrient, usually found in slow-leaching soil forms, that is a main component of nucleic acids, including energy-transmitting ATP, as well as phosphoproteins and phospholipids.
Photoperiod - The relationship between the length of light and dark in a 24-hour period.
Photosynthesis - The manufacture by plants of carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll with sunlight as the energy source. Oxygen and water vapor are released in the process. Photosynthesis is dependent on favorable temperature and moisture conditions as well as on the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Increased levels of carbon dioxide can increase net photosynthesis in many plants.
Phytophthora - Destructive parasitic fungi causing brown rot in plants.
Pistil - The central organ of a flower containing the ovules. The female part of a flower.
Pollen - The word pollen is derived from the Latin word meaning fine flour or dust. Pollen is a collective noun that is treated as singular. A single individual is a pollen grain. A pollen grain is a microscopic plant that carries the male genome, which is one-half the genetic complement of the parent plant. The pollen grain produces the sperm that fertilizes the ovum, or female genetic complement, of the plant. The fertilized ovum develops into a seed.
Pollination - Process of transferring the pollen from its place of production to the place where the egg cell is produced. This may be accomplished by the use of wind, water, insects, birds, bats, or other means. Pollination is usually followed by fertilization, in which sperm are released from the pollen grain to unite with the egg cell.
Pollination - the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower (stamen) to the female part of a flower (the style and stigma).
Potassium - One of the three macronutrients essential for plant growth. Potassium contributes to protein synthesis and the operation of the stomata. Potassium aids in disease resistance, as well as seed and root development. If a plant is potassium deficient, the plant will express an overall weakness, especially in its stem, while the leaf margin will yellow. To correct potassium deficiencies in soil, apply soil amendments such as greensand, granite dust, or manure.
Powdery mildew - Powdery Mildew is a fungus that appears as a white fuzzy coating on the upper leaves. Foliage will eventually wilt, brown, and drop. If detected early, it can be eliminated by spraying with a solution of 1 tbsp. baking soda, and 1 tsp. Vegetable oil to 1 gallon of water. Neem oil also works very well.
Praying Mantis - Is a kind of insect, of the family Mantidae (order Mantodea), named for their "prayer-like" stance. (The word mantis in Greek means prophet). There are approximately 2,000 species worldwide; most are tropical or subtropical. The most common species is Mantis religiosa. Mantids are notable for their large size and nimble reflexes. Their diet, which consists exclusively of living insects, includes flies and aphids, which are caught and held securely with the grasping forelegs. Mantids make use of protective coloration to blend in with the foliage, both to avoid predators themselves, and to better help snare their victims.
Precipitation - A process in which positive and negative ions combine to form a salt that precipitates out of the solution as a solid.
Pyrethrin - Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium, (Family Asteraceae), is a perennial African plant with a daisy-like appearance and white, pink or red flowers. The same species is also known as Pyrethrum roseum, Chrysanthemum coccineum, Tanacetum coccineum, or simply, the Painted Daisy. The plant is economically important as a natural source of insecticide. The flowers are pulverized and the active components, a group of esters oleoresins called pyrethrins (C21H28O3, or C22H28O5) contained in the seed cases, are extracted and sold in the form of an oleoresin. This is applied as a suspension in water or oil, or as a powder. Pyrethrins attack the nervous systems of all insects, and inhibit female mosquitoes from biting. When not present in amounts fatal to insects, they still appear to have a repellent effect. They are harmful to fish, but are far less toxic to mammals and birds than many synthetic insecticides and are non-persistent, being biodegradable and also breaking down easily on exposure to light. They are considered to be amongst the safest insecticides for use around food.
Pythium - Destructive root-parasitic fungi, which causes damping off disease in seedlings.
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