THE USE OF ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS IN STUDIES ON CORN NUTRITION

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Abstract
The nutrient culture technique described presents many advantages over those in present use, particularly in soln. cultures. Plants can be grown to full size and maturity under carefully controlled conditions. The technique permits the study of typical mineral-deficiency symptoms and responses to varying amts. of the different elements. Single elements can be varied without changing other ion cones. Undesirable osmotic pressures are eliminated. Changes in pH of the cultures are reduced to a minimum, and mutual precipitation of ions from solns. is avoided. The time required to care for the cultures is greatly reduced, as fresh solns. are not required at frequent intervals. The time required to prepare the original cultures is somewhat greater than that necessary for soln. cultures, because it is necessary to prepare different ion-exchange materials in rather large quantities in advance. It is not possible to change the nutrient levels of the cultures very much after they are started. This might be a disadvantage if different conditions of nutrient supply were required for the different stages of growth of the plant.

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