Understanding Root Uptake of Nutrients, Toxic and Polluting Elements in Hydroponic Culture

Abstract

The understanding of plant uptake (nutrients, toxic and polluting elements) is crucial for the future food needs of humanity given the explosive growth of the world population and the anthropogenic pressure on the environment which significantly modify the homeostasis of the balanced global cycles. Rice and banana are of fundamental interest for development policy since they are two major foods for the world population. The understanding of the mechanisms and the optimal conditions of nutrient uptake by these plants is thus important to ensure biomass production. Furthermore, the transfer of toxic and polluting elements in the soil-plant system can influence the nutrient uptake and plant growth, and thus has strong agronomic consequences, in addition to the large environmental consequences.