THE INFLUENCE OF DEFICIENT NUTRITION ON GROWTH AND ROOT ACTIVITY OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) UNDER HYDROPONIC CONDITIONS

Root system plays important role in uptake of nutrients which influences the crop quality and yield. On the other hand, soil bioavailable nutrient supply is one of main limiting factor affecting development of the roots. The aim of hydroponic cultivation experiment was the determination of the nutrition deficient impact on the root system of maize (Zea Mays L.). In this experiment the root system was described by electric capacity due to we are able to find the active parts of root which are responsible for main uptake of nutrition. Three deficiency variants (nutrition solution without nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) and one variant with all nutrition (control variant) were observing. LCR meter was using for measuring the root electric capacity and also the weight of dry matter of whole plant and root was determined. The weight of root dry matter of variant with P deficiency was increased in time (from 20 to 77 mg/plant), on the contrary the weight of root dry matter of variant with K deficiency was decreased in time. The electric capacity has similar trend, it was increased in variant with P deficiency and it was decreased in variant with K deficiency in the 3rd term (0.078 nF).