Abstract
Taioba is a plant species from the group of unconventional vegetables that has currently been introduced into the Brazilian diet. The objective of the present work was to study the technical feasibility of the cultivation of taioba in the hydroponic ebb and flow system and the influence of the substrate. The experimental design was in randomized blocks and the treatments consisted of 10 different substrates: (1) 60% sand + 40% coal powder; (2) 80% coconut fiber + 20% vermiculite vermiculite; (3) 80% Sand + 20% coal powder; (4) 70% sand + 30% humus; (5) coconut fiber; (6) 70% sand + 30% vermiculite; (7) 80% sand + 20% vermiculite; (8) sand; (9) commercial substrate Carolina® and (10) 50% sand + 30% humus + 20% vermiculite. The best results were obtained with treatments 2 and 9 for the number of leaves, plant height, stem diameter, transverse and longitudinal leaf diameters, dry and fresh root mass, and dry and fresh plant mass. Except for the total carotenoid contents, no statistical differences were observed for the physical-chemical characteristics. It was concluded that cultivation of taioba in the hydroponic ebb and flow system has technical feasibility. The substrate has influence in the technical feasibility.
Highlights
Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott is a hardwood crop originating from South America and its cultivation and consumption come from Central America, Asia and Africa [1]
One of the great challenges to cultivate taioba using a hydroponic method is related to the mode of reproduction resulting in the lack of hydroponics utilized in the producing areas
It was observed (Table 1) that the diameter of the stem (ST) was significantly higher in plants grown with treatments 2 and 9 respectively coconut fiber with 20% vermiculite and commercial substrate Carolina®
Summary
Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott is a hardwood crop originating from South America and its cultivation and consumption come from Central America, Asia and Africa [1]. The cultivation is mostly carried out directly in the soil, using its rhizomes. This methodology has limited the expansion of the cultivation area [1]. This method makes it difficult to expand the cultivation area since a plant originates a main rhizome and few secondary shoots after six months of cultivation. Hydroponic cultivation could be an alternative of great potential for taioba production. One of the great challenges to cultivate taioba using a hydroponic method is related to the mode of reproduction (vegetative propagation) resulting in the lack of hydroponics utilized in the producing areas
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