Maximizing Productivity of Greenhouse-grown Hydroponic Lettuce during Winter

Abstract

Operational cost of producing lettuce (Lactuca sativa) during the winter in greenhouses is high in the northern regions of the United States due to the addition of supplemental lighting (SL) and heating. Crop productivity in greenhouses should increase to offset high operational costs and maintain profits. Factors including SL composition, heating efficiency, suitability of production systems (PS), and cultivar performance can affect crop productivity. Research-based information on optimizing the above environmental- and production-related factors is limited. This information is critical for growers to make informed decisions and increase profits during winter hydroponic production. We evaluated the interactive effects of SL composition, solution temperature, PS, and cultivar treatments on lettuce shoot dry weight (SDW, g·m−2) and shoot water content (SWC, %) in a greenhouse maintained at suboptimal air temperature (13.7 °C) using a split-plot design. There were three light treatments (sunlight without SL, sunlight + narrow-spectrum SL at nighttime, and sunlight + full-spectrum SL at nighttime), two solution temperature levels [heated (18.8 °C) and unheated (13.2 °C)], two hydroponic PS [constant flood technique (CFT) and nutrient film technique (NFT)], and eight cultivars included in the study. Results indicated that 1) a narrow-spectrum SL at nighttime in combination with heated solution resulted in maximum SDW of lettuce, 2) the SDW and SWC (major determinant of economic yield) increase between the heated and unheated solution temperature treatments was higher in the CFT than in the NFT, and 3) the positive effects of using heated solution were seen mainly in the green-color cultivars. Our research identified the optimal spectral composition of nighttime SL, tested the positive effects of alternate heating methods using heated solution on plant growth under suboptimal air temperature conditions, compared the suitability of two hydroponic PS for lettuce production, and quantified yield potential of several lettuce cultivars in hydroponic production during winter. Growers can use our research findings to make informed decisions about their investment and to maximize hydroponic lettuce productivity and profits during winter.