Why do plants need D.O.?
D.O. defines oxygen as the oxygen saturation level in the water. The more oxygen in the water, the happier your plant’s roots are, and the more nutrients your plants absorb. The chemical formula for water is that H2O (2 hydrogens and one oxygen atom) forms a water molecule.
You might ask: how is it possible to have more oxygen molecules in water if each water molecule can only include one oxygen atom?
IPS has an analogy we will borrow. Without getting too scientific: think of it as chocolate milk. You mix chocolate with milk, shake and voila! Milk is still milk, chocolate is still chocolate, but they combine beautifully. The same principle can be applied to water and molecular oxygen-O2.
It would be best if you had oxygen in the water to grow healthy plants (At minimum D.O. of 60%). However, it is worth considering increasing your oxygen levels to grow larger, healthier and more productive plants.
Dissolved oxygen is a small addition with which significant effects are possible. You fight pathogens, stimulate root hair growth, and provide more aerobic bacteria to improve water and nutrient uptake, and you end up seeing a much happier plant.
Dissolved oxygen is the first line of defence against the dreaded anaerobic bacteria that cause root rot. It also stimulates faster root growth and greater density of the fine root hairs, which are responsible for absorbing water. In the process, this uptake requires a lot of energy from the plant in the form of oxygen.
The increased availability of oxygen atoms also improves nutrient uptake. When roots lack oxygen, they have no choice but to replace it with other compounds. They then begin to produce ethylene. However, this causes cell damage and increases the risk of systemic diseases.
Systemic diseases are conditions in which the immune system is dysregulated and attacks its own body (Autoimmune diseases). Normally, the immune system clears away outside invaders (for example, bacteria or viruses). In systemic diseases, the immune system targets its own body. Even if this is not the case, roots with oxygen deficiency may suffer from calcium deficiency. Some growers are subsequently surprised when adding cal-mag products and have little to no effect.
