Date of Award:

12-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Plants, Soils, and Climate

Committee Chair(s)

Bruce Bugbee

Committee

Bruce Bugbee

Committee

Eric Westra

Committee

Noah Langenfeld

Abstract

As the global population and food demand continue to increase, growers must look to innovative and sustainable methods for plant cultivation. Hydroponics is a popular method of sustainable plant cultivation where plant roots are suspended over a liquid nutrient solution. Hydroponics uses less water compared to traditional agriculture because there is no evaporation or solution runoff. It also maximizes land use, requires fewer pesticides and herbicides, and enables year-round cultivation in controlled environments. However, indoor hydroponic systems rely on artificial lighting, which has higher energy costs than traditional farming methods. Optimizing growing conditions is therefore critical to ensure long-term economic and environmental sustainability. Oxygen, which plants require for cellular respiration, is taken up by plant roots and can quickly become limited in hydroponic solutions due to low solubility and rapid uptake. This research ultimately aims to explore which plants can tolerate low oxygen in hydroponic solutions and explores a new method for quantifying low oxygen stress experienced by plants over a growing period. The best practices for supplying oxygen to roots is also examined by manipulating aeration-induced agitation to understand its impact on plant nutrient uptake and growth.

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