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Macomb County

Posted By: Cynthia Galloway, Faculty Biology
Area of science: Botany
ID: 924286174.Bt
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You have asked two different questions in this request so I will try to answer both. Your first question, "How does sugar water affect bean plant growth?" is, I assume, the focus of your experiment and will be answered by the data you obtain. Putting sugar in the water will possibly have several affects on your plants.

6/1/2010 9:04:23 PM

Macomb County

One effect you have already seen by noticing that the soil stays moister in the pots watered with sugar water. Water moves across a membrane by a process called osmosis. When you add sugar to your water you are changing the osmotic potential of the pure water. Less water will move into the root because of this change in osmotic potential so the soil will be moister. I believe this was the main question you wanted answered. One way that the sugar water may affect plant growth is that it could influence microorganism growth in the area surrounding the roots. This may be good for the plants or bad for the plants. The sugar
concentration may also have an effect. Maybe a little is good or a lot is bad. Only your experiment can show you the effects

6/1/2010 9:04:57 PM

Macomb County

Soil that stays moist causes more disease. Forgive my obcession with the disease and foaming stump issues. But I knew there had to be a explanation.

6/1/2010 9:17:02 PM

Las Cruces NM

Jack, foaming stump remains a mystery. Your assumption is that bateria cause foaming stumps -- what bateria is known to cause foaming in such a fashion? That is what you would need to answer! But you are right that excessive water is not good -- that is because it clogs the "air" pores. Aside from roots needing air, waterlog creates anerobic condition and breading for nasty undesireable water molds. But your real question should be what causes the stumps to foam?

6/1/2010 9:55:24 PM

Macomb County

The only direct answer I've received is it's Phytophthora.
Apprently, there are 4 types, one that resembles a water creature more and it can swim too. It enters through the roots, yellow roots are supposedly the first sign. Then up into the crown.

We as growers do water a lot. But that's the only one that's made sense to me so far.

6/1/2010 10:14:47 PM

Gold Hill, Oregon

just curios if anyone has had the foam sent in to be analyzed. not sure where to send it but i know there are some labs that could analyze the foam. i think that this would put an end or maybe spread some light on the issue. if i get a foamy stump that is what i would do, so i could try to prevent it in the future and let others know the results.

dave

6/2/2010 3:15:27 AM

Gold Hill, Oregon

ps: i think sugar water is used to sweeten things like watermellons, cantaloupes, tomatoes ,etc. for flavor. who knows i may be wrong. maybe someone can chime in and correct me. i try to be open and eager to learn new things.

dave

6/2/2010 3:24:00 AM

Macomb County

bp, I've heard that too. However, when I've checked into it, one report will say plants can't absorb sugar through their roots and leaves. Then another will say plants can.
We remove all the fruit except one, so our plants experience a sugar excess. The reason PM is a fact of life for us, our plants are so bloated with sugar by the Fall compared to multiple fruit plants.

The question here is, twofold. Does the moister soil breed more pathogens? Plus do we want anything drawing water away from our roots to any degree, when weight is all about massive amounts of water being taken up by them?

6/2/2010 5:09:08 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

As far as PM is concerned I have found that fruit laden Zuccini are much more prone to it than any of my AG,s have ever been. so I am not sure where that leaves your sugar/PM theory. Humidity seems to encourage PM more than anything else ass far as I can see.

6/3/2010 3:41:59 AM

Macomb County

It's not a theory, but a fact. It's what growers of everything from apples to blue berries exploit by thinning their fruit. More sugar is diverted to each fruit and the result is bigger size.

If you single fruit, like we do, you're really creating a sugar reserve. But it's also why you can set another pumpkin out on a secondary, the plant is so full of sugar, well in excess of what the main vine pumpkin can use.

If you've seen bread mold,it's because of the high sugar or carbohydrate level. That's the same way PM works on the leaves of plants and the higher the sugar level, the worst the infection.

Moist bread, high humility has the same effect around the leaves of a plant. It doesn't mean multi-fruited plants are immune to PM. It just means more fruit uses more sugar
and there's less in the rest of the plant than a single fruited plant like AGs.

This summer, try preventing PM on Zuccini and then on your single fruited AG. I think you'll find it's much easier and more successful on your Zuccini than your AG plant come Fall.

6/4/2010 11:25:45 AM