Possible Errors

The setup was that of SNAP Hydrophonics which stands for Simple Nutrient Addition
Program. This hyrdrophonics system was developed at the UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding by
Dr. Primitivo Jose A. Santos and Dr. Eureka Teresa M. Ocampo. This type of technology allows
one to grow crops without the utilization of soil and instead uses a nutrient solution containing
all essential nutrients needed by plants. The crop planted for this experiment was Solanum
Lycopersicum.
There are six set-ups where the plants were deprived of specific nutrients. Upon
observation, most of the plants generally exhibit the deficiency symptoms associated with the
deficient nutrient. Most of the plants in set-up had died by the fourth week. It is possible that
these plants had died not because of nutrient deficiency but because of the mishandling of the
whole setup. Supposedly, the cups containing the coco-coir where the crop is planted should only
be submerged half an inch on the nutrient solution underneath. From what was observed on the
setup, the cups were submerged more than the required half-inch.
Having the plants submerged more than what is required could inhibit growth and drown
the plants. It should be that the rate of decrease in the nutrient solution is proportional to the
growth and development of the plant. Some of the setups still have their nutrient solutions full to
the brim which should not be the case. Due to this error some of the plants did not fully exhibit
the correct symptoms of the deficiency and instead, died.
Not every plant supplied with complete nutrients was able to grow full size, some had
wilted. While the plants supplied with excess amounts of iron grew tall than the plants with
complete nutrients. This could be because of the improper handling of the setups. During
observation, the cups might have not been put back into order properly or it is possible that the
preparation of the setup itself had problems.
The setup should have been maintained and checked on regularly so that insect pests,
such as leaf miners, would not have been able to feed on the plant. Proper handling of the plants
should have also been observed as some of the cups are devoid of the actual plant itself. During
observation, some of the plants are disturbed, some of the plant parts fall off possibly the leaves,
while some of the plants get uprooted, and the cups are not properly submerged in the nutrient

solution. These are the possible errors observed during the course of the experiment. As a result
of these errors, the plants were not able to exhibit the expected outcome per setup.