Discipline can be described as the act of doing what one does not want to do, especially when it's necessary for achieving a desired outcome or fulfilling a commitment. It involves overcoming personal resistance, laziness, or lack of motivation to pursue a goal or adhere to a standard. Essentially, it's about prioritizing long-term benefits over immediate desires or discomfort.
Why do I run the line with high EC even when my tips are showing signs of osmotic damage?
While soil electrical conductivity (EC) primarily indicates the concentration of dissolved salts and ions, making it a measure of electrical capacity, it is also a crucial indicator of potential life processes within the soil. EC levels reflect nutrient availability, water-holding capacity, and the overall health of the soil ecosystem, influencing microbial activity and plant growth. As soil moisture drops, so too does its EC, regardless of its salt mineral level/capacity. Keeping the foot on the pedal, not letting that EC ever drop below 1.0 in the medium. Low EC, Low life processes capacity. Microorganisms can create and utilize electrical currents, a process known as extracellular electron transfer (EET), which plays a role in various phenomena, including microbial corrosion and the development of microbial electrochemical technologies (METs). This EET is facilitated by microbial biofilms that develop on conductive surfaces, allowing for electron exchange. ATP is created when a phosphate group is added to ADP (adenosine diphosphate), and this process often involves energy derived from the breakdown of glucose during cellular respiration. Water plays a crucial role in the breakdown of ATP (hydrolysis) to release energy, but it's not the source of that energy. In essence, water is involved in both ATP synthesis (in a roundabout way through proton gradients) and ATP breakdown (hydrolysis). However, water itself is not the source of energy for ATP synthesis; rather, it's the breakdown of glucose and other molecules that provides the energy for ATP production.
A key part of cellular respiration(Nighttime process) is oxidative phosphorylation, where a proton gradient is created across a membrane, and this gradient drives the synthesis of ATP by an enzyme called ATP synthase. Doesn't matter how much light you harvest if you don't process any of the captured carbon energy into actual usable energy (ATP)? Oxidative phosphorylation is a metabolic pathway that uses the energy released from the transfer of electrons (from NADH and FADH2) to oxygen to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the cell's main energy currency. It occurs in the mitochondria and is a crucial part of cellular respiration, particularly in aerobic(oxygen-loving) organisms. This process involves two main components: the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.
In essence, low EC can signal either: Low water content: Not enough water to carry the necessary ions or Low salt (ion) concentration: Insufficient amounts of dissolved ions in the solution.
If EC is low, ATP potential is low. Electrical conductivity is a measure of how easily electrical current can flow through a medium. It quantifies a material's ability to conduct electricity, indicating how readily electrons can move through it. A higher conductivity value means the material is a better conductor, while a lower value indicates it's a poorer conductor. What are we conducting? Salt ion concentration. The more capacity for the flow of materials for life in the form of electrical signals to pass through the medium. Electrical conductivity (EC) in a nutrient solution is a key indicator of nutrient availability and plays a crucial role in determining nutrient uptake efficiency by plants. While EC doesn't directly dictate nutrient uptake, it influences it indirectly by affecting the concentration of dissolved nutrients and the solution's osmotic potential.
While plant roots don't directly use electricity in the way we think of electrical devices, they do utilize electrochemical gradients and active transport (Transport that's uses energy) to uptake water and nutrients. These processes involve the movement of ions across cell membranes, which can be influenced by electrical potential differences.
1. Electrochemical Gradients: Plant roots have specialized proteins embedded in their cell membranes (like H+-ATPases) that act as channels and transporters for ions.
Establishing Gradients: These proteins actively pump ions across the membrane, creating concentration gradients and electrical potential differences (voltage).
Passive Transport: Ions can then move passively down these gradients, either into or out of the cell, depending on the specific ion and its concentration.
Example: H+-ATPases pump protons (H+) out of the cell, creating a proton gradient. This gradient can then be used to bring other ions like nitrate or phosphate into the cell, even against their concentration gradient.
2. Active Transport:
ATP as Energy Source: Active transport requires the cell to expend energy, often in the form of ATP, to move ions against their concentration gradient.
Specific Transporters: Proteins called carriers are involved in active transport, binding to specific ions and facilitating their movement across the membrane. Uptake of potassium (K+), nitrate (NO3-), and phosphate (PO43-) often involves active transport.
3. Water Uptake:
Osmosis: Water uptake is primarily driven by osmosis, where water moves from an area of high water potential (low solute concentration) to an area of low water potential (high solute concentration).
Electrical Signals and Water Uptake: Plant water uptake creates electrical signals (self-potential) due to the movement of water and ions in the soil around the roots.
Impact of Salinity: High salt concentrations can affect root conductivity and potentially lead to toxicity. Electrical stimulation can be used to enhance nutrient uptake by activating root hair formation and ion transport.
Gene expression, the process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product (like a protein), is significantly influenced by nutrient availability. Cells constantly monitor nutrient levels and adjust their gene expression patterns to optimize growth, survival, and function in response to these fluctuating conditions.
High nutrient availability can significantly influence plant growth regulators (PGRs), impacting various aspects of plant development. Nutrient levels affect hormone synthesis, transport, and signaling pathways, leading to changes in root and shoot growth, branching, and overall plant architecture. (PGRs are essentially phytohormones, same thing).
Water uptake in plants is primarily dictated by osmosis and transpiration pull, which are influenced by factors like soil water potential, root hydraulic conductivity, and stomatal regulation. Osmosis drives water movement from the soil into root cells, while transpiration, a consequence of water evaporation from leaves, creates a negative pressure gradient that draws water up the plant.
More transpiration =more pull, more cohesion, more pressure to angle leaves into satellite "Disciplined" fashion, more root penetration = Higher rate of water uptake.
More EC = Higher concentration of salt mineral uptake within the water that's being taken at a given rate.
Light, Energy capacity in 1 cycle 40-60DLI.
Temperature, 82.8 Leaf surface temp,(not ambient) metabolic optimal.
Humidity, 45-55% Never above, never below.
CO2, not utilized by temperature.
Wind: (air flow), at least some ambient air flow, with at least 78 cfm (4x4) extraction linked to RH for negative pressure. The more she spits out, the more she turns on.
Water: Unlimited EC=to or greater than 1.0
Nutrients: Unlimited EC =to or greater than 1.0
Root-zone temperature: Optimal 72.8°F
Oxygen in the root system: Unlimited. 55% pore space + Negative pressure injection.
PH 6.2-6.7 While oxygen uptake is more directly influenced by soil aeration and water content, soil pH also plays a role.
Maintaining a pH within the optimal range for phosphorus availability (6.0-7.0) generally also favors good soil structure and aeration, which are important for oxygen uptake by plant roots. Extremes of pH (either very acidic or very alkaline) can lead to poor soil structure, hindering root growth and oxygen diffusion.
Neglecting any one of these can significantly impact a plant's well-being. (There is no such thing as too much water, only a medium that retains too much for too long. By making your environment slightly drier, slightly warmer, you encourage plant metabolism, optimize photosynthetic capture efficiency, increase nutrient uptake through transpirational increase, and remove the possibility of overwatering by encouraging evaporation and cellular respiration.
Root respiration is directly reliant on cellular respiration. Root respiration is the process where plant roots take up oxygen and release carbon dioxide, and this process is fueled by the energy produced during cellular respiration. Cellular respiration breaks down glucose to produce ATP, which powers various cellular activities, including those in the root cells that facilitate nutrient and water uptake.
Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration can be detrimental to plant growth under certain conditions, even though CO2 is necessary for photosynthesis. While elevated CO2 can stimulate photosynthesis, it also triggers stomatal closure, reducing water loss but potentially limiting CO2 uptake if temperatures are not high enough to support the increased metabolic demand. This can lead to a situation where the plant's ability to utilize the increased CO2 is hampered, resulting in actual reduced growth.
Plants have small pores called stomata on their leaves that allow for CO2 uptake for photosynthesis and also allow for water loss through transpiration. Elevated CO2 levels cause stomata to partially close, reducing water loss and improving water-use efficiency. Photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert CO2 into sugars, is temperature-dependent. While increased CO2 can boost photosynthetic rates, this effect is most pronounced at optimal temperatures. If temperatures are not high enough to support the increased metabolic demand from higher CO2 levels, the reduced stomatal aperture can limit CO2 uptake and water loss, thus hindering photosynthesis and overall growth. If temperatures are not optimal for the increased CO2 concentration, plants may experience reduced photosynthetic rates, impaired growth, and decreased biomass production. This is because the reduced stomatal aperture, while saving water, also limits the amount of CO2 available for photosynthesis. Other environmental factors, such as light and nutrient availability, also play a role in plant responses to elevated CO2. These factors, along with temperature, can influence the extent to which a plant can benefit from increased CO2.
Optimal VPD (Vapor Pressure Deficit) and optimal plant respiration conditions are not the same, though they are related. VPD is primarily concerned with the rate of transpiration, which impacts water and nutrient uptake, while respiration is the process of energy production within the plant. Different VPD levels can affect stomatal opening, influencing photosynthesis and potentially impacting respiration indirectly. Optimal vapor pressure deficit (VPD) conditions, while beneficial for transpiration and overall plant health, do not directly enhance cellular respiration. Cellular respiration, the process of converting sugars into energy, is primarily influenced by factors like temperature and enzyme activity, not VPD directly. While VPD affects stomatal behavior and water movement, which indirectly impact photosynthesis and carbon availability, it doesn't directly drive the biochemical reactions of cellular respiration
VPD is the difference between the amount of moisture in the air and the amount the air could hold when saturated. A higher VPD (drier air) encourages transpiration (water loss from leaves), while a lower VPD (more humid air) reduces it. VPD is a key factor in regulating water and nutrient uptake, as transpiration (daytime) pulls water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves. Ideal VPD ranges vary by plant species and growth stage, but generally, a VPD between 0.4-1.6 kPa is considered optimal. Extremely high or low VPD can negatively impact plant health, with high VPD leading to excessive water loss and low VPD potentially causing issues like mold or root rot.
Plant Cellular Respiration: NIGHTTIME
Respiration is the process by which plants break down sugars to produce energy for growth and other functions.
Respiration rates are highly influenced by temperature. Generally, respiration increases with temperature up to a certain point (around 50°C), after which it decreases due to damage to plant tissues.
While VPD can indirectly affect respiration by influencing stomatal conductance and photosynthesis, its direct impact is primarily on transpiration and water relations. VPD affects stomatal behavior, which in turn influences gas exchange (CO2 uptake for photosynthesis and oxygen release). Photosynthesis is linked to respiration, as the products of photosynthesis (sugars) are used in cellular respiration. In essence, while VPD is a crucial factor in plant water relations and photosynthesis, its impact on cellular respiration (nighttime) is indirect and less significant compared to temperature and substrate availability.
•Optimize for VPD during the day, optimize cellular respiration by night; what is good for vpd is not always good for respiration.
•Water runs low, and nothing good ever happens. (Except maybe drought stress, but now is not the time)
•Water sits in any one place too long, nothing good ever happens.
•Oxygen runs low in the soil, nothing good ever happens.
• CO2 without the temperature to assist with metabolic pathways, nothing good, potentially detrimental.
Plant is planning future growth based on a blueprint of genetically expressed potential through a complex web of cascading transcriptional cues derived from environment, photomorphogenesis and raw material supply in immediate vicinity, but in order to express that potential, the conditions must first exist in order to fulfill the blueprint, supply comes before demand when it comes to planning, to some degree.
I've been holding temps at 77-80 daytime, without a corresponding increase in temperature, plants cannot fully benefit from higher levels of CO2. Photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert CO2 and light into energy, is temperature-dependent. Therefore, while elevated CO2 can enhance photosynthesis under optimal temperature conditions, it won't be as effective if the temperature isn't also suitable. I'm aware of this. If this were a photoperiod temps would be in the 91-92°F ambient. I know what to expect from high temperatures, high light. I want to see the difference with controlled temps. 🤔 Gave her a few nights in the 60's to see how low I could get her for ripening later. Worried the summer heat would prevent lower than 70F, but all is well. Back to keeping her around 77-80 overnight for now. She is getting mighty frosty already.
Time to apply Bud Factor X, produced by Advanced Nutrients, is a product that triggers a plant's natural defense mechanism called Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR). This process involves the plant releasing proteins and enzymes to combat external threats like pests and pathogens. Bud Factor X achieves this by mimicking natural molecules that the plant uses to trigger ISR, without actually causing stress or damage to the plant. This leads to increased essential oil production, improved plant health, and enhanced resistance to environmental stressors. This one will already be frosty, so I'm excited to apply. I made the hint earlier that these would be frosty as I noticed very early pre-flowers had more trichomes than I'm used to seeing, she hadn't even started bud formation, and she was cranking out non-glandular trichomes. It's still very early, but yeah, can see the frosty coating already, going to be something else entirely come harvest. Make up your nutrient solution as usual and administer Bud Factor X at a rate of 2ml per litre of nutrient solution. Bud Factor X can also be applied as a foliar spray, though it's recommended that this is undertaken before the formation of flowers to prevent issues with excess humidity and fungal infections. Due to my nighttime supporting evaporation, I have no worries with this. 15-20 before lights out.