What is EC?
Electrical conductivity or “EC” is a measure of the focus of “total salt” in a nutrient resolution (drip, plate or drain).
It is expressed as milliSiemens per linear centimeter (mS/cm) or microSiemens per linear centimeter (mS/cm), where 1mS = 1000µS. The conductivity of a given answer varies with temperature, so most nutrient answer analyses are carried out at 20oC.
The larger the concentration of “total salt” within the substrate, the upper the EC. Inorganic fertilizer ions corresponding to N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and so on. are examples. Urea is an natural molecule and won’t contribute to the EC of the answer because it does not conduct electrical energy like calcium (Ca) ions or nitrates. Nitrogen (NO3-N) ions can.
Ec in crops
The EC required for optimum plant progress depends on the crop and selection grown, the physiological stage of plant development and the prevailing environmental situations inside and outside the greenhouse.
Why is it important to watch EC?
The EC of the nutrient resolution impacts the expansion and growth of the plant. In the winter, greater EC is used as a outcome of it limits water uptake. As a result, the cells within the plant don’t elongate or “grow” too much. They keep smaller and have thicker, stronger cell partitions. The crops then look darker, shorter and have smaller leaves. In this case, the plant puts comparatively more energy into the formation of flowers and fruits (a manufacturing reaction). If the EC is simply too low beneath poor light circumstances (i.e. winter), the plant will produce too much leaf development and too little fruit development, and can due to this fact be over-nourished.
Conversely, excessive EC beneath excessive mild situations (summer) will restrict water uptake too much and thus restrict the plant’s ability to chill itself via transpiration. As a result, the crop shall be careworn.
EC additionally impacts yield and fruit high quality. In common, higher EC in the root zone surroundings results in lower yields and smaller fruit measurement. This is because the cells within the fruit take up much less water, resulting in decrease fresh weight. However, higher EC results in better fruit taste. Therefore, a compromise have to be made between fruit quality, yield, and the dietary and reproductive development of the crop.
Therefore, you will need to preserve the correct EC within the root zone environment (measured as the difference between slab EC and drip EC.) The value of EC varies for every crop kind and time of 12 months.
Monitoring EC in the slab
Monitoring EC in plates is a vital component of weekly nutrition monitoring and ought to be carried out every day. For a meaningful and correct evaluation, sampling must be carried out in multiple consultant plates. Sampling is straightforward by merely pushing a syringe into the plate and withdrawing a small amount of nutrient solution (100 ml), which is then positioned into the cup of the EC meter for direct studying. The EC values are calculated and plotted on a graph so that trends may be more simply identified.
Tips for accurate EC measurements with moveable meters
Calibrate the EC meter periodically using a regular solution.
Check the battery standing, low battery in portable EC meters is commonly the cause for errors.
Take measurements on the identical time each day in order that results could be interpreted extra simply.
Store the meter in a cool, dry place.
Read more:
Conductivity: How to convert mS/cm to uS/cm
Difference between conductivity(EC) and TDS
What is residual chlorine?
What is turbidity?
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What is EC?
Electrical conductivity or “EC” is a measure of the concentration of “total salt” in a nutrient resolution (drip, plate or drain).
It is expressed as milliSiemens per linear centimeter (mS/cm) or microSiemens per linear centimeter (mS/cm), where 1mS = 1000µS. The conductivity of a given solution varies with temperature, so most nutrient resolution analyses are performed at 20oC.
The greater the focus of “total salt” in the substrate, the upper the EC. diaphragm seal corresponding to N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and so forth. are examples. Urea is an organic molecule and won’t contribute to the EC of the answer because it does not conduct electricity like calcium (Ca) ions or nitrates. Nitrogen (NO3-N) ions can.
Ec in crops
The EC required for optimum plant development is decided by the crop and variety grown, the physiological stage of plant growth and the prevailing environmental circumstances inside and outdoors the greenhouse.
Why is it necessary to watch EC?
The EC of the nutrient answer affects the expansion and improvement of the plant. In the winter, higher EC is used as a outcome of it limits water uptake. As a end result, the cells within the plant do not elongate or “grow” too much. They keep smaller and have thicker, stronger cell walls. The crops then look darker, shorter and have smaller leaves. In this case, the plant places relatively extra vitality into the formation of flowers and fruits (a production reaction). If the EC is too low underneath poor gentle situations (i.e. winter), the plant will produce an excessive quantity of leaf progress and too little fruit growth, and can therefore be over-nourished.
Conversely, high EC under high gentle situations (summer) will restrict water uptake too much and thus limit the plant’s ability to cool itself through transpiration. As a result, the crop might be stressed.
EC also affects yield and fruit quality. In general, higher EC in the root zone environment leads to decrease yields and smaller fruit size. This is as a result of the cells in the fruit take up less water, resulting in lower contemporary weight. However, greater EC results in higher fruit flavor. Therefore, a compromise should be made between fruit quality, yield, and the nutritional and reproductive growth of the crop.
Therefore, it is important to maintain the correct EC in the root zone surroundings (measured because the difference between slab EC and drip EC.) The worth of EC varies for every crop kind and time of yr.
Monitoring EC within the slab
Monitoring EC in plates is a crucial component of weekly vitamin monitoring and must be performed every day. For a meaningful and correct assessment, sampling ought to be carried out in a quantity of representative plates. Sampling is simple by merely pushing a syringe into the plate and withdrawing a small quantity of nutrient answer (100 ml), which is then placed into the cup of the EC meter for direct reading. The EC values are calculated and plotted on a graph so that developments may be more easily identified.
Tips for correct EC measurements with portable meters
Calibrate the EC meter periodically using a standard resolution.
Check the battery status, low battery in portable EC meters is often the cause of errors.
Take measurements at the similar time each day so that results could be interpreted extra simply.
Store the meter in a cool, dry place.
Read extra:
Conductivity: How to transform mS/cm to uS/cm
Difference between conductivity(EC) and TDS
What is residual chlorine?
What is turbidity?