Heightened by the COVID‐19 pandemic there has been a global increase in urban greenspace appreciation. Indoor plants are equally important for improving mental health and air quality but despite evolving in humid (sub)tropical environments with aerial root types, planting systems ignore aerial resource supply. This study directly compared nutrient uptake preferences of aerial and soil‐formed roots of three common houseplant species under high and ambient relative humidities. Growth and physiology parameters were measured weekly for Anthurium andreanum, Epipremnum aureum and Philodendron scandens grown in custom made growth chambers. Both aerial and soil‐formed roots were then fed mixtures of nitrate, ammonium and glycine, with one source labelled with 15N to determine uptake rates and maximum capacities. Aerial roots were consistently better at nitrogen uptake than soil roots but no species, root type or humidity condition showed a preference for a particular nitrogen source. All three species grew more in high humidity, with aerial roots demonstrating the greatest biomass increase. Higher humidities for indoor niches, together with fertiliser applications to aerial roots will support indoor plant growth, creating lush calming indoor environments for people inhabitants.
Heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a global increase in
urban greenspace appreciation. Indoor plants are equally important for
improving mental health and air quality but despite evolving in humid
(sub)tropical environments with aerial root types, planting systems
ignore aerial resource supply. This study directly compared nutrient
uptake preferences of aerial and soil-formed roots of three common
houseplant species under high and ambient relative humidities. Growth
and physiology parameters were measured weekly for Anthurium
andreanum, Epipremnum aureum and Philodendron scandens grown in
custom made growth chambers. Both aerial and soil-formed roots were then
fed mixtures of nitrate, ammonium and glycine, with one source labelled
with N to determine uptake rates and maximum
capacities.Aerial roots were consistently better at nitrogen uptake than
soil roots but no species, root type or humidity condition showed a
preference for a particular nitrogen source. All three species grew more
in high humidity, with aerial roots demonstrating the greatest biomass
increase. Higher humidities for indoor niches, together with fertiliser
application to aerial roots will support indoor plant growth. We discuss
how these conditions and growth outcomes will further improve air
pollution reductions and human comfort, mental and physical health.
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