Abstract
Arugula (Eruca sativa) is cultivated using hydroponic techniques in greenhouses to fulfill high year-round demand, but its nutrient management in hydroponic production has not yet been standardized, potentially leading to limited quality and productivity. Aiming to address this issue, we investigated the effect of electrical conductivity (EC) on yield, nutritional and phytochemical properties of arugula. The model cultivar arugula ‘Standard’ was grown at four different EC levels (1.2, 1.5, 1.8, and 2.1 dS·m−1). Our results indicated photosynthetic properties, SPAD, leaf area, yield and dry weight increased with increasing EC from 1.2 to 1.8 dS·m−1. Foliar nutrient content increased with higher EC, but nutrient solution with 2.1 dS·m−1 showed a significant decline in N, Ca and most of the micronutrients including Fe, Zn, Mo, Cu, B and Mn. Total glucosinolates, total chlorophyll and total carotenoids concentrations increased with increasing EC. In addition, total anthocyanin content was highest in plants grown in EC 1.2 and 2.1 dS·m−1, demonstrating a stress response when grown in extreme EC levels. Our results further indicated a rapid accumulation of nitrate with higher EC, potentially detrimental to human health. This research demonstrated the optimal EC range would be 1.5 to 1.8 dS·m−1 for arugula in hydroponic production systems based on yield, quality criteria and human health considerations.
Highlights
Arugula or rocket (Eruca sativa) is a leafy vegetable in the family Brassicaceae
S[3·]mi−n1hsyhdorwopedontihce-glroowwenstalreuagf uarlaeaparnoduScPtAioDn evxaplueeridmueentso. iAnsuefxfipceiecntetdn,uEtrCiti1o.2n. dTSh·mer−e1 wshaoswaendotbhveiolouws etestndleeanfcayreoaf agnredatSePrAleDafvaarleuae wduiteh ttoheinisnucfrfeicaiseenot fntuhteriEtiCon, .bTuht etrhee wSaPsAaDn, ombavrikoeutsabtelendyeienlcdyaonfdgsrheaotoetr:rloeoatf raarteiao wietrhetshleigihntclryeraesdeuocfetdheinEECC, b2u.1t dthSe·mSP−A1.DIn, madardkietitoanb,leEyCie1l.d2 and s2h.1oodtS:r·omo−t 1rahtaiodwverye sleivghertelynruetdruiecnetddiinsoErCde2r.1sydmS·mpt−o1.mIns.aAdldlitthioense, results indicated that arugula growth and yield were negatively affected by too high or too low electrical conductivity (EC) level, which had been established by previous research in hydroponics production with other leafy vegetables including lettuce [36,37,38,39,40,41], pakchoi (Brassica rapa) [42], table beets (Beta vulgaris) [36], and watercress (Nasturtium officinale) [43], but none of these research investigated the response to EC for arugula
Arugula growth and yield parameters all increased when EC increased from 1.2 to 1.8 dS·m−1, decreased when EC further increased to 2.1 dS·m−1 which may be due to high osmotic pressure [12,44,45]
Summary
Arugula or rocket (Eruca sativa) is a leafy vegetable in the family Brassicaceae. It has long been used as an ingredient in the cuisines of many countries such as Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Turkey and has been a popular culinary ingredient in the United States since the 1990’s [1]. Arugula is cultivated in hydroponics and greenhouses to provide higher quality and greater yields to fulfill year-round demand [3,4]. It is commonly used as food for its pungent or bitter flavor and abundant nutrients (potassium, sulfur, iron, and vitamins A and C) in their edible leaves [5]. There is a need to evaluate and optimize nutrient management of arugula in hydroponic and other systems to provide maximum quality, productivity, and profit
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