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References: Water Transport, Photosynthesis, and Plant Health

  1. Pythium - Wikipedia - Covers the genus of water molds responsible for root rot in hydroponic systems, explaining infection physiology, conditions that favor Pythium proliferation, and management strategies.

  2. Ethylene - Wikipedia - Describes ethylene as a gaseous plant hormone mediating stress responses, ripening, and senescence; relevant to understanding how stressed hydroponic plants signal damage through ethylene production.

  3. Chlorosis - Wikipedia - Explains the yellowing of plant tissue caused by inadequate chlorophyll production, covering interveinal chlorosis patterns that distinguish mobile from immobile nutrient deficiencies.

  4. Hydroponic Food Production (7th ed.) - Howard M. Resh - CRC Press - Chapters on plant health diagnostics and disease management cover root rot prevention, dissolved oxygen requirements, and interpreting visible stress symptoms in soilless systems.

  5. Hydroponics: A Practical Guide for the Soilless Grower - J. Benton Jones Jr. - CRC Press - Provides a practical diagnostic framework for identifying nutrient deficiency symptoms, environmental stress patterns, and disease signs in hydroponic crops.

  6. Khan Academy: Transpiration - Khan Academy - Animated walkthrough of the transpiration-cohesion-tension mechanism that drives water from roots through xylem to leaves, foundational for understanding water movement in hydroponic plants.

  7. USDA Plant Disease Information - USDA ARS - Research database on plant diseases including Pythium root rot, with identification guides and integrated management recommendations applicable to controlled-environment systems.

  8. EPA: Biopesticides for Pythium Control - EPA - Catalog of biological control agents registered for managing water molds like Pythium in food-crop environments, including Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma-based products.

  9. MIT OCW: Plant Physiology - MIT OpenCourseWare - Thermodynamics and kinetics course material relevant to understanding water potential gradients, osmotic stress, and the physical chemistry of dissolved oxygen in hydroponic solutions.

  10. Khan Academy: Plant Defenses and Hormones - Khan Academy - Overview of plant signaling hormones including ethylene, abscisic acid, and jasmonic acid that mediate stress responses to pathogens, drought, and nutrient imbalance.