Theme : MINERAL NUTRITION Experiment1: Mineral nutrient deficiency symptoms Experiment 1a Identify deficient mineral nutrient using nutrient

deficiency assessment tool. For analysis 7 sets of plants are prepared, one set cultivated in full Hoaglands solution (control plants) and 6 sets cultivated in solution where one mineral nutrient is absent. Look through carefully the plants of each set (plant habitus, leaf morphology and coloration, dead parts) and try to determine in which nutrient the plants are deficient. Use powerpoint nutrient deficiency assessment tool. Determine which part of the plants is mostly affected and explain the symptoms of deficiency. Experiment 1b Provide biometric analysis of plants cultivated in full Hoaglands and nutrient deficient solutions. For one plant of each set evaluate following characteristics: - Shoot length (from seed to the tip of the longest leaf) - Length of root system (from seed to the tip of the longest root) - Shoot fresh weight - Root fresh weight Use shoot and root fresh weight for calculation of total fresh weight and R/S ratio (root/shoot), all parameters fill in the table 1, count mean values and standard deviations for each parameter and variant using programme Excell. Make a diagram of obtained values and try to find statistically significant differences between evaluated parameters. Experiment 1c Characterise root system of plants cultivated in full Hoaglands and N-deficient solutions using image analysis For analysis use plants of Experiment 2a. Scan the roots using a scanner optimised for scanning in water column (use 0,1% agar solution as medium) enabling better planar distribution of root system. Place the root system in the scanner to minimalise crossing of roots and difficulties of image analysis. Analyse the obtained image using programme Lucia G with Root Analyser module. Follow the manual. Data export to Excell and evaluate following parameters: - Total root system length - Main root axis length - Number of lateral roots Evaluate the preferences in root system structure depending on mineral nutrition availability. What can be predicted from changes in R/S ratio as regards mineral nutrition? Try to explain the benefit from increase in R/S ratio of N-deficient plants.

Tab. 1. Plant biometric characteristics

Shoot length (cm)
plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 plant 5 mean value standard deviation control -N -P -Ca -Mg -K - Fe

Root system length (cm)

plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 plant 5 mean value standard deviation control -N -P -Ca -Mg -K - Fe

Total fresh weight (g)

plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 plant 5 mean value standard deviation control -N -P -Ca -Mg -K - Fe

Root/shoot fresh weight ratio

plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 plant 5 mean value standard deviation kontrola -N -P -Ca -Mg -K - Fe