METHOD OF PROVIDING PLANTS WITH WATER AND MINERAL NUTRITION UNDER CONDITIONS OF WEIGHTLESSNESS AND SYSTEM FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION Russian patent published in 2014 - IPC A01C21/00 A01G25/16 A01G29/00 A01G9/00 A01G31/02 

FIELD: biotechnology.

SUBSTANCE: method comprises supplying irrigation drinking water in the root module ion-saturated ion-exchange fibre soil-substitute and providing auto-correction of the pH value of the obtained substrate solution, as well as its saturation with nutrients containing the elements N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg and Fe. To ensure it with nutrients in the required amount, the continuous monitoring of the total concentration of the elements in the irrigation water is carried out before supplying to the root module. The irrigation drinking water before supplying to the root module is previously passed through a layer of granulated ion-saturated ion-exchange fibre-soil-substitute the amount of which is selected so that before the end of the calculated period of operation the total concentration of the elements S, Ca, Mg and Fe in the irrigation water is within the range adequate for growing plants. At that in case of a decrease in the irrigation water after passing through the layer of granulated ion-saturated ion-exchange fibre-soil-substitute of the total content of the elements N, P and K to the lower limit of the admissible range of concentrations, a concentrate is added to it, which is obtained by passing the water through the layer of granules of slow-acting fertiliser (SAF), the number of which is selected so that the elements N, P and K contained in it are enough to the end of the calculated period of operation. The system comprises a root module with the ion-exchange fibre soil-substitute for planting seeds or seedlings and the subsequent growing the plants, which is connected to the output of the pipeline of supply of irrigation water with the peristaltic pump mounted at the inlet. In addition the pipeline of supply of irrigation water after the peristaltic pump the concentrating cartridge filled with granular ion-saturated ion-exchange-soil-substitute, and the flow mixing chamber with a sensor of electrical conductivity of water and a stirrer placed in it are connected in series, the mixing chamber is equipped with its own closed loop water circuit, in which the pump and the concentrating cartridge with granular SAF are mounted in series. At that the system is provided with a controller electrically connected to the pumps, the stirrer and the sensor of electrical conductivity of water, and the sensor of electrical conductivity of water is included in the loop of the negative feedback of the controller.

EFFECT: inventions enable to improve the technology and manufacture of plant products in the space greenhouse under conditions of microgravity.

4 cl, 1 dwg, 1 ex