A Monitoring system of radioactive tracers in hydroponic solution for research on plant physiology

Suzui, Nobuo; Kawachi, Naoki; Yamaguchi, Mitsutaka; Ishioka, Noriko; Fujimaki, Shu

We developed a monitoring system of a radioactive tracer in hydroponic solution that can noninvasively measure the amounts of inorganic elements absorbed by an intact plant. In this system, we used positron-emitting radioactive isotopes and -ray detectors. An intact plant was placed into a plastic cylindrical container containing hydroponic solution with a radioactive tracer. The tracer solution was gently stirred by bubbling air in order to prevent a concentration gradient of solvent in the container To evaluate this monitoring system, we conducted a tracer experiment with a rice plant and positron-emitting cadmium isotope Cd. As a result, the time course change of Cd radioactivity in hydroponic solution was successfully observed for 36 hours.