Effect of plant protection on the production of hydroponic lettuce (Lactuca sativa convar. capitata L.)

Abstract

Purpose. In our experiment, the hydroculture cultivation of lettuce ( Lactuca sativa convar. capitata L.) was studied under various Mg treatments, and we used pesticide protection against cotton bollworm ( Helicoverpa armigera ). Methods. The biometric evaluations were calculation with variance analysis (Tukey-HSD method and the statistical tests were performed using SPSS v19 software). Results. Our results observations that plant protections (Actara 240 SC, tiametoxam) were successfully contra Helicoverpa armigera . The recording time (94 pieces H. armigera ) was on 5 th October 2015. The number of lettuces infected with the worms of the cotton bollworm was 9 (total) of end the research. When the lettuce was harvested (29 th October), we measured the weight of lettuces, counting the number of caterpillars of H. armigera and analysing variance on the calculation. The most infected lettuces with the caterpillar were calculated in the 150 and 200 mg/L Mg treatments. We measured 28 plants from each treatment area. The highest lettuce weight was found in the control group (186.1 g), while the lowest was among the 250 mg/L magnesium treatment. A Tukey statistical analysis was summarized. Conclusions. Despite the widely and commonly used traditional agricultural production technologies, hydroponic growing also has a great role in nowadays and in the future as well. In the course of our experiment we found that the easily purchased materials (rock wool, medium raw material) can be used cost-effectively in the hydroponic cultivation. Based on our results we found that the effect of plant protection (Actara 240 SC, 21.1% w/v thiamethoxam) was successful against cotton bollworm. Overall, the effect of insecticide treatments against Helicoverpa armigera protection was successful; the 56% infection on 5 th October was reduced to a 5% infection level on 29 th October. The lettuce was grown using hydroponic cultivation in our study. Their growth was steady, but there was a great deviation in head weight. While measuring the hydroponic lettuce we found that the magnesium treatment led to a significant decrease in head weight, compared to the control group.