Nanomaterial for plant growth

• Main Author: Chew, Eda Zhi Yu
• Other Authors: Lam Yeng Ming
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Materials
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/138605
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Zeoponics was developed by NASA during the 1990’s for growing plants in space, however, the properties required for growth in space are similar to what is desired in Singapore. The system must use little water, be low maintenance and make economical use of fertilizer to enable multi cycle crop growth. Here, we report the testing of a fertilizer loaded clinoptilolite zeoponic system to grow two species of drought resistant plants. We also probed the effect of watering the system on potential fertilizer loss. Variegated Indian Borage and Variegated Dwarf Umbrella were tested, 10x fertilizer concentration and 5x fertilizer concentration caused root burn within the root burn test, whilst 2x concentration produced healthy plants. Successive waterings were found to yield no change to the fertilizer concentration inside the zeolite after 4 washings. This report has shown in-part, how zeoponics could grow out of obscurity and into industrial use to make extensive, drought-resistant, roof top gardening.