permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

On Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 8:27 PM, elizabeth bell <whatintheworld1234@gmail.com
> wrote:

>   i remember a question about oxygenating water in a hydroponic system.
>   imagine washcloth material under water with air coming through the
> fabric.
>   the air could be pumped in through a bellows.
>
>    i've been reading about saponins (sp?) ..wonder if they have a place in
>     hydroponics and water remediation
>

How would they be used in water remediation?
And in hydroponics? I must have missed something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponin
Role in plant ecology and impact on animal foraging
In plants, saponins may serve as
anti-feedants,[2]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponin#cite_note-cornell-2>
[4] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponin#cite_note-metacyc2008a-4> and to
protect the plant against microbes and fungi
.[*citation needed <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed>*
] Some plant saponins (e.g. from oat and spinach) may enhance nutrient
absorption and aid in animal digestion.
Ethnobotany
Most saponins, which readily dissolve in water, are poisonous to
fish.[9]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponin#cite_note-9>
Therefore, in ethnobotany <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnobotany>, they
are primarily known for their use by indigenous people in obtaining aquatic
food sources.
Use in animal feeding
Saponins are used widely for their effects on
ammonia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia>emissions in animal
feeding.
[21] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponin#cite_note-zentner-21> The mode
of action seems to be an inhibition of the
urease<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urease>enzyme, which splits up
excreted
urea <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urea> in feces into ammonia and carbon
dioxide <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide>. Animal trials have
shown that a reduced ammonia level in farming operations causes less
damages to the respiratory tract of animals, and may help to make them less
vulnerable to diseases.


>    flower power
>
>    Elizabeth
>