Hydroponic System Research Articles

PENGARUH KONSENTRASI PUPUK ORGANIK CAIR LIMBAH SAYUR TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN DAN PRODUKSI TANAMAN BAWANG DAUN BUNCHING (Allium fistulosum L.) DENGAN SISTEM SUMBU (WICK SYSTEM)

This research was conducted with the aim of knowing the effect of Effect of Liquid Organic Fertilizer Concentration of Vegetable Waste on the Growth and Production of Onion Bunching Plants (Allium fistulosum L.) With Hydroponic Axis System (Wick System). This study was conducted with the aim of knowing the effect of the best concentration of organic fertilizers in increasing the growth and production of Bunching Onion Plants (Allium fistulosum L.) with a Hydroponic System (Wick System). This research was conducted in Tamamaung Village, Panakukkang District, Makassar City. Which runs from March to June 2022. This study was prepared with a Complete Randomized Design (RAL) consisting of 1 factorial, namely liquid organic fertilizer (POC) and used 4 treatments, namely 10ml / liter of water, 20ml / liter of water, 30 ml / liter of water and 40 ml / liter of water. The parameters observed are 4, namely plant height, number of saplings, root length and fresh weight of the plant. The results showed that the application of various concentrations of liquid organic fertilizer to the growth and production of onion bunching plants had an influence on the parameters of plant height, number of saplings and fresh weight of plants. The concentration of 40ml/liter of water is best in increasing the growth and production of onion plants at plant height of 28.66 cm, the number of saplings is 23 saplings, the root length is 7 cm and the fresh weight of the plant is 39 grams.

Cultivo de alface em diferentes sistemas hidropônicos e concentrações de nutrientes na solução nutritiva

ABSTRACT Alternative techniques for cultivation without soil are widespread; however, studies comparing hydroponic systems still need to be studied, mainly in semi-arid regions. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of hydroponic systems on the yield and quality of lettuce cultivars subjected to different electrical conductivities of the nutrient solution. The research was conducted in a greenhouse, adopting a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial scheme, being two lettuce cultivars (Cinderela and Rubinela), two electrical conductivities (2.90 and 1.6 dS m-1), and three hydroponics systems (NFT, semi-hydroponic, and floating), with three replications. The number of leaves, leaf succulence, specific leaf area, leaf fresh mass, total dry mass, leaf area, titratable acidity, vitamin C, and soluble solids were evaluated. Cinderela cultivar showed the highest average leaf fresh mass, total dry mass, leaf area, and vitamin C values. The NFT and floating systems provided the highest leaf yield and quality, especially in the solution of 1.60 dS m-1. The semi-hydroponic system provided greater development of the plants with a more concentrated nutrient solution (2.90 dS m-1).

Morphological and Physiological Changes of Hydroponic Lettuce Grown in Varying Potassium Concentrations and an Adaptive Lighting Control System

We investigated the growth dynamics of hydroponic lettuce (Lactuca sativa) driven by the influence that potassium (K+) has on crop growth. This study aimed to determine whether increased K+ concentrations under different daily light integrals (DLIs) in a hydroponic system will boost growth of greenhouse lettuce. This study was conducted within a controlled glass greenhouse environment with varying DLIs achieved by integrating an adaptive lighting control system over a 16-hour photoperiod. We used three K+ treatments of 200, 400, or 600 mg⋅L−1 K+ and six DLI lighting treatments of 11.1, 12.9, 14.6, 15.9, 16.9, and 17 mol⋅m−2⋅d−1. We found that increasing K+ did not increase shoot dry weight, leaf area, or specific leaf area with increasing DLIs. Although K+ and DLI had an interacting effect on the root dry weight fraction, leaf chlorophyll content, and quantum yield of photosystem II, the K+ treatments did not increase or decrease with increasing DLIs. The influencing factor was DLI, which led to increases in shoot dry weight and leaf area, whereas a decrease in specific leaf area was observed with increasing DLIs. Ultimately, adding supplemental concentrations of K+ did not enhance lettuce growth, nor did these effects show any increase with increasing DLIs.

Recycling plant nutrients in mixing several organic to serve hydroponic cultivation of vegetables and herbs, enhancing circulatory economy

Abstract Urine, rich in Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K), shows promise as a nutrient solution for cultivation, benefiting both nutrition and waste management. This study focuses on producing plant nutrients from human urine using biochar to absorb urine, soybeans meal residue, biogas waste, and fish heads & bones. These nutrients were evaluated against Vietnamese standards (TCVN). The nutrient solutions were tested on green mustard and Gynostemma pentaphyllum in a hydroponic system. Results indicated that the nutrient solution from desorbed human urine reached a maximum solute concentration of 2343.3 ppm after 15 days, surpassing other materials. Though slightly lower in total nitrogen compared to fish heads & bones (68.2 mg/l vs 69.5 mg/l), urine nutrients had higher total P2O5 and available potassium (171.8 mg/l and 592.5 mg/l, respectively). The urine solution performed comparably to soybeans meal residue and the inorganic Hoagland solution. Green mustard treated with urine solution had the best dry content, vitamin C, and low heavy metals. For Gynostemma pentaphyllum, the urine solution yielded the highest saponins, flavonoids, and minerals. Economic analysis of hydroponic models using urine solution showed significant promise, indicating its viability in hydroponics.

Design and Development of Automated Nutrient Regulation System for Hydroponics Unit

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Hydroponics, a subset of hydro culture, is a growing plant without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. In soil less culture especially, hydroponics, the problem of regular maintenance of nutrient solution and required technical knowledge. The automation in hydroponics further helps to boom up the hydroponic cultivation. Automated nutrient regulation in hydroponics environment with automatic nutrient feed technology was developed and tested in the present study. The experiment was carried out an automated controlling and regulation of pH, TDS, temperature in polyhouse hydroponic system using Arduino-Uno controller, solenoid valves containing nutrients, water, pH-up, and pH-down and sensors. In this study, the sensors are connected to Arduino-Uno controller in which liquid crystal display (LCD) of Arduino-Uno circuit controls and regulates the system based on the coding which has been programmed previously. Calibration was done for all the parameters in the automated system. TDS and pH values of nutrient solution were recorded by using TDS and pH sensor probes respectively were fed to Arduino which adjusts the values, if required, through actuators. The prototype model was able to monitor and control the pH and TDS of hydroponic water in the required range with high accuracy.

Cost and Benefit Analysis for Hydroponic System to Increase Women's Empowerment and Food Sustainability

This research aims to analyze the costs and benefits, the break even point (BEP), and the payback period (PP) for installing a hydroponic system in Jongbiru village. From the results of this benefit-cost analysis it appears that the hydroponic organic vegetable business is a very potential small business both economically and socially. The economic potential of small hydroponic organic vegetable businesses can generate substantial profits in the short term. The social potential of small hydroponic vegetable businesses is to empower housewives who previously had no income, and have the ability to support the family needs and economy. In the future, we hope that each family can build a simple hydroponic vegetable installation. The results were as follows, 1) the benefits were much more than its costs, 2) BEP can be reached in Rp. 2,700,000 sales, and 3) the payback period is more than a year. The hydroponic installation can also be planted with a wide variety of vegetables and fruits to meet the nutritional needs of the family, and also fulfill market demands. The more varied the plants used in the hydroponic installation, the wider the benefit-cost analysis. In this way, more harvests are likely each year, with faster BEP and higher selling points. Keywords: cost-benefit analysis, break even point (BEP), payback period (PP), hydroponic vegetable

Cooling the high temperature nutrition solution to improve growth, yield and water productivity of hydroponic red lettuce (Lactuca sativa L Var Red rapids) in a tropical location

Red lettuce is preferred because of its high nutritional, vitamin, and antioxidant contents. Hydroponic cultivation has been known to successfully improve the quality and productivity of red lettuce. But the efforts to increase the productivity of hydroponic red lettuce face constraints of high temperatures in the tropics. The aim of this study was to compare the growth, yield, and water productivity of red lettuce in three hydroponic systems namely wick, floating raft, and dry systems by controlling the temperature of the nutrient solutions using protected nutrient containers. The experimental design of randomized complete block split plots with the main plots of the nutrient containers which consisted of three levels: Refrigerated container, styrofoam-insulated container, and bare bucket container in which the nutrient solution was delivered to plants in three separated gutters as the cultivation beds, then recirculated back to the corresponding nutrient container. The secondary plot is hydroponic systems including three systems namely wick, floating raft, and dry systems. The blocks were the arrangement of plants according to the flow direction of the nutrient solution, namely upstream, middle and downstream in each gutter. Each experimental unit was represented by 3 plants. Data sets were analyzed by using analysis of variance and followed by LSD multiple comparisons at the 5% level. The results showed that the temperature of the nutrient solution controlled by the three containers had a significant effect on all observed plant parameters. Meanwhile, the hydroponic systems and the blocks had no significant effect. The use of Refrigerated container showed the best performance in improving the growth, yield, and water productivity of the red lettuce.

Non-choice vs. Free-choice: when and how Cydnoseius negevi (Swirski and Amitai) female attack its prey?

BackgroundCydnoseius negevi (Swirski and Amitai) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a promising bio-agent in the Mediterranean region. It attacks a wide range of pest species. Two fundamental questions have been raised when C. negevi was a promising candidate for biological control applications in a hydroponic system. This study was carried out to answer the raised questions: (1) how long a predatory female takes to attack its prey in a non-choice biological control application? and (2) what do the predatory females prefer when offered a multiple choice (free-choice) of pest preys?, to understand the potentialities of C. negevi attacking behaviour.ResultsTwo sets of experiments were conducted for 240 min under laboratory conditions of 27 ± 2 °C, 60 ± 5% RH, and 18:6h L:D photoperiod. The tested prey species were Tetranychus urticae Koch, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), Parlatoria ziziphi (Lucas), and Icerya aegyptiaca (Douglas). Non-choice experiments tested the time (min) needed to the 24 h starved female to attack its prey. The free-choice experiments tested the female’ choices and the time recorded for each female during the full experimental time. Significant differences were recorded in both sets at confidence level of 95%. The spider mite T. urticae recorded the shortest predatory female’s response in both non- and free-choice sets. On the contrary, the insect I. aegyptiaca had the least female’s choice in both sets of experiment.ConclusionThe present study discussed the behavioural categories of C. negevi. The female responses showed a list of priorities to the tested herbivore species. Such behavioural simulation is considerable for the future pest control applications to predict the generalist predator’s preferences among a wide range of multiple herbivore species.

Hydroponic effluent as an alternative Fertilizer in Bell Pepper Production

As hydroponic systems expand and generate effluents, research has increasingly focused on their management due to potential environmental impacts. This study examined the effectiveness of using hydroponic effluents as fertilizer in bell pepper cultivation. The chemical composition of the effluents was analyzed and compared against water quality standards set by Resolution No. 222/02 of SEAM. The study employed two application methods (foliar and root) and three concentrations (0%, 50%, 100%) of effluents. A randomized complete block design was used to evaluate plant height, fruit number, and yield. Results showed that a 50% foliar application significantly increased plant height compared to the 100% concentration, with no significant differences in fruit number and yield. For root application, no significant differences were observed across the variables at different concentrations, although the best performance was noted at 50%. Comparative analysis between application methods revealed that root application resulted in taller plants but lower productivity. The study concludes that using hydroponic effluents as fertilizers affects bell pepper productivity, with a 50% concentration being most effective regardless of the application method.

ANALYSIS OF THE REUSE OF COCONUT WASTE WATER FOR KANGKONG USING A VERTICAL CULTURE HYDROPONIC SYSTEM

Coconut wastewater is the by-product of the coconut milk store. It contains BOD of 9.908,41 mg/L and COD of 38.264,73 mg/L. It can pollute when it is discharged into received water directly. Pollution can prevented by wastewater treatment using phytoremediation method and wastewater reuse for hydroponic crops. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the hydroponic system in reducing BOD and COD concentration of coconut wastewater, the effect of the reuse coconut wastewater on crop growth, and to analyze the suitability of coconut wastewater with hydroponic’s standard nutrients. The crop selected in this study was Kangkong (Ipomoea reptans Poir) with a vertical hydroponic system. The retention time was determined based on the Day After Planting (DAP). The DAP ranged in 0 day, 7 days, and 14 days. The crop parameters observed in this study are height, the number of leaves, and gross weight, compared to the controlled crops that use hydroponic’s standard nutrients. The highest reduction of BOD (79,22%) and COD (82,76%) occurs on DAP of 7 days. Crop growth increased as BOD and COD decreased. Initial pollution concentration caused stunted growth, so that the measurement results of phytoremediation crops were below the controlled crops. Coconut wastewater is within the range of standard hydroponic nutrients with 6,16-7,62 pH value, 1.220-1.570 ppm TDS, 2.470-3.180 μS/cm EC, and 25-26oC temperature

Healthcare Resilience in Trinidad and Tobago: A short report on the Healthy Hospital Initiative at the Sangre Grande Hospital

Objective: To describe the establishment of the Healthy Hospital Initiative (HHI), its activities and accomplishments, challenges and future steps. Methods: The initiative was implemented at the Sangre Grande Hospital in the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA), one of five Regional Health Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago. A review of personal records maintained by members of the Healthy Hospital Initiative was undertaken. These records included descriptions of the activities, accomplishments and obstacles that the team experienced. Results: The Healthy Hospital Initiative was launched in November 2019 with the aim of creating an environmentally sustainable health system and improving the physical and mental health of staff and patients. A senior doctor led the initiative and team members included a range of staff, including both clinical and non-clinical professionals who were all volunteers. This allowed for a multi-directional, inclusive approach and created a sense of ownership amongst the staff. In 2022, several activities were implemented: green spaces, recycling bins, a kitchen garden and staff exercise sessions. In addition, team members participated in training on Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) Smart hospitals and collaborated with a local non-governmental organisation as well as the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus engineering department to develop further projects. Conclusion: Next steps include promoting similar projects in community health facilities, developing a hydroponics system and, assessing the disaster resilience and carbon footprint of the hospital.

Fulvic acid application increases rice seedlings performance under low phosphorus stress

BackgroundFulvic acid enhances plant growth and interacts synergistically with phosphate fertilizer to alleviate the agricultural production problem of low phosphorus fertilizer utilization efficiency. However, the underlying mechanism of its action remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of fulvic acid application with varying concentrations (0, 40, 60, 80 and 120 mg/L) on rice performance in plants grown in a hydroponic system subjected to low phosphorus stress. The rice growth phenotypes, biomass, root morphology, phosphorus uptake, and the impact of fulvic acid on the rhizosphere environment of rice, were assessed.ResultsThe findings showed that adding appropriate concentrations of exogenous fulvic acid could promote the growth performance of rice under low phosphorus stress. Particularly at T1 (40 mg/L) and T2 (60 mg/L) over the control effectively increased rice biomass by 25.42% and 24.56%, respectively. Fulvic acid treatments stimulated root morphogenesis, up-regulated phosphate transporter genes, and facilitated phosphorus absorption and accumulation. Especially T1 (20.52%), T2 (18.10%) and T3 (20.48%) treatments significantly increased phosphorus uptake in rice, thereby alleviating low phosphorus stress. Additionally, fulvic acid elevated organic acids concentration in roots and up-regulated plasma membrane H+-ATPase genes, promoting organic acids secretion. This metabolic alteration can also alleviate low phosphorus stress in rice.ConclusionsThe effect of exogenous fulvic acid on physiological indicators is concentration-dependent under low phosphorus stress, enhances rice performance and reduces reliance on phosphorus fertilizer. This provides new insights to shed light on the mechanism of alleviating low phosphorus stress in rice through fulvic acid application, an eco-friendly tool.

Sanitization of hydroponic farming facilities in Singapore: what, why, and how.

This study's significance lies first in its elucidation of the necessity of sanitizing hydroponic farming systems. The microbiome in hydroponic systems, although mostly nonpathogenic, might serve as a hotbed for pathogen colonization and thus pose a risk for food safety. We thus explored sanitization solutions with both laboratory-scale and field-scale tests. Of the three tested sanitizers, NaOCl was the most effective and economical option, whereas one must note the vital importance of rinsing the hydroponic systems after sanitization with NaOCl.

Sustainable Production: Integrating Medicinal Plants with Fish Farming in Aquaponics—A Mini Review

Aquaponics, defined as a sustainable technology combining aquaculture and hydroponics, integrates plant and fish production into one system. Aquaponics technology offers several major advantages over conventional methods of raising fish and/or plants. In this system, plants act as a natural biological filter, purifying the water so that the same amount can be used repeatedly. Fish, on the other hand, are a natural source of nutrients. This contributes to the aquaponics system’s substantial economic potential, thanks to its use of virtually free nutrients, dramatically reduced water consumption, and the elimination of filter systems, making this system innovative and sustainable. On the other hand, the use of medicinal plants for the needs of the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food industries is often associated with a decrease in their natural reserves. Utilizing aquaponics for the production of medicinal plants could reduce the pressure on these natural reserves. As a result, aquaponics has emerged as one of the most environmentally friendly methods of cultivating plant species. The concept of aquaponics, which evolved from traditional hydroponic systems, has gained worldwide recognition through the effective use of symbiosis. It refers to the coexistence and interaction of different organisms, facilitating their growth and life cycle processes. Unlike hydroponics, which requires the purification of nutrient solutions due to plant waste, aquaponics takes advantage of the natural cycle of waste and nutrient exchange between plants and fish. Fish waste serves as organic fertilizer for the plants, while the plants help purify the water for the fish. This symbiotic relationship not only reduces the environmental impact associated with aquaculture wastewater but also provides a sustainable method of food production. The integrated system reduces infrastructure costs, conserves water, and minimizes the potential for environmental pollution. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity for increased profitability from both crop and fish production. Cultivation of medicinal plants within aquaponic systems can be carried out year-round, offering a continuous supply of valuable pharmacological resources. This review examines suitable medicinal plants for aquaponic cultivation and evaluates their pharmacological benefits to humans.

Unravelling the UV/H2O2 process using bioelectrochemically synthesized H2O2 to reuse waste nutrient solution

In this study, waste nutrient solution (WNS) was used as a catholyte in a bioelectrochemical cell to directly produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), after which the H2O2- containing WNS was integrated with the downstream UV oxidation process to meet quality standards for reuse. The generated current in the bioelectrochemical cell was successfully utilized at the cathode to produce H2O2 in WNS using a two-electron oxygen reduction reaction with different reaction times. The cathodic reaction time with the highest H2O2 production (504 ± 5.2 mg l−1) was 48 h, followed by that obtained from 24 h (368 ± 4.1 mg l−1), 12 h (158.8 ± 2.4 mg l−1), and 6 h (121.1 ± 4.1 mg l−1) reaction times. During H2O2 generation, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate in the WNS were recovered in the form of precipitates under alkaline conditions. The H2O2-containing WNS was further treated with different UV doses. After UV/H2O2 treatment, excitation-emission matrix and molecular weight distribution analyses demonstrated that aromatic compounds were reduced. Moreover, the gene expressions of sul1 (up to 95.65%), tetG (up to 93.88%), and aadA (up to 95.32%) were clearly downregulated compared with those of a control sample. Finally, a high disinfection efficiency was achieved with higher UV doses, resulting in successful seed germination. Thus, our results indicate that the developed method can be a promising process for reusing WNS in hydroponic systems.

Hydroponics with Microalgae and Cyanobacteria: Emerging Trends and Opportunities in Modern Agriculture.

The global population is expected to reach 9.5 billion, which means that crop productivity needs to double to meet the growing population's food demand. Soil degradation and environmental factors, such as climate events, significantly threaten crop production and global food security. Furthermore, rapid urbanization has led to 55% of the world's population migrating to cities, and this proportion is expected to increase to 75% by 2050, which presents significant challenges in producing staple foods through conventional hinterland farming. Numerous studies have proposed various sustainable farming techniques to combat the shortage of farmable land and increase food security in urban areas. Soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics have gained worldwide popularity due to their resource efficiency and production of superior-quality fresh products. However, using chemical nutrients in a conventional hydroponic system can have significant environmental impacts, including eutrophication and resource depletion. Incorporating microalgae into hydroponic systems as biostimulants offers a sustainable and ecofriendly approach toward circular bioeconomy strategies. The present review summarizes the plant growth-promoting activity of microalgae as biostimulants and their mechanisms of action. We discuss their effects on plant growth parameters under different applications, emphasizing the significance of integrating microalgae into a closed-loop circular economy model to sustainably meet global food demands.

An efficient subsampling method for estimating corn root characteristics with scanner‐based image analysis

AbstractQuantifying root length, surface area, average diameter, and volume of fully‐matured corn (Zea mays L.) is labor intensive, time consuming, and costly. Accurate and efficient subsampling techniques are needed to overcome these limitations. In this study, eight corn root systems were grown to maturity in a sand‐culture hydroponics system to develop and test root system subsampling techniques for accuracy (uncertainty assessment) and efficiency (time). Each entire root system was separated into coarse and fine roots, which were then composited into 65 subsamples, either visually or by mass, followed by subsample scanning to quantify root characteristics. A bootstrap non‐parametric procedure was used to determine the sample size needed to represent the total root system and quantify uncertainty based on the number of subsamples analyzed. When subsamples were composited visually, as many as 60 subsamples (92% of the total root system) were necessary to represent the characteristics of the root system within ±5% of the true mean at a 95% confidence level. In contrast, when subsamples were composited by equal mass, a maximum of 15 subsamples (23% of the total root system) were needed to be representative, requiring 2 h and 15 min per root system. The findings show that separating the entire root system by coarse and fine roots and then weighing into equal mass subsamples before scanning decreased the number of subsamples and time required to accurately estimate corn root characteristics. Thus, this subsampling approach considerably reduced the effort and cost of processing corn root systems.

Microwave seed priming and ascorbic acid assisted phytoextraction of heavy metals from surgical industry effluents through spinach

The prevalence of inorganic pollutants in the environment, including heavy metals (HMs), necessitates a sustainable and cost-effective solution to mitigate their impacts on the environment and living organisms. The present research aimed to assess the phytoextraction capability of spinach (Spinach oleracea L.), under the combined effects of ascorbic acid (AA) and microwave (MW) irradiation amendments, cultivated using surgical processing wastewater. In a preliminary study, spinach seeds were exposed to MW radiations at 2.45 GHz for different durations (15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 seconds). Maximum germination was observed after the 30 seconds of radiation exposure. Healthy spinach seeds treated with MW radiations for 30 s were cultivated in the sand for two weeks, after which juvenile plants were transferred to a hydroponic system. Surgical industry wastewater in different concentrations (25 %, 50 %, 75 %, 100 %) and AA (10 mM) were provided to both MW-treated and untreated plants. The results revealed that MW-treatment significantly enhanced the plant growth, biomass, antioxidant enzyme activities and photosynthetic pigments, while untreated plants exhibited increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electrolyte leakage (EL) compared with their controls. The addition of AA to both MW-treated and untreated plants improved their antioxidative defense capacity under HMs-induced stress. MW-treated spinach plants, under AA application, demonstrated relatively higher concentrations and accumulation of HMs including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni). Specifically, MW-treated plants with AA amendment showed a significant increase in Pb concentration by 188 % in leaves, Cd by 98 %, and Ni by 102 % in roots. Additionally, the accumulation of Ni increased by 174 % in leaves, Cd by 168 % in roots, and Pb by 185 % in the stem of spinach plant tissues compared to MW-untreated plants. These findings suggested that combining AA with MW irradiation of seeds could be a beneficial strategy for increasing the phytoextraction of HMs from wastewater and improving overall plant health undergoing HMs stress.

Amino acid‐based biostimulants and microbial biostimulants promote the growth, yield and resilience of strawberries in soilless glasshouse cultivation

AbstractIntroductionThe increasing demand for strawberries in the United Kingdom, valued for their flavour, nutrition and economic significance, presents challenges in maintaining consistent production, especially under various biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Traditional reliance on conventional agrochemicals to meet these demands is tempered by concerns about their health and environmental impacts, paving the way for eco‐friendly alternatives, such as biostimulants. However, their efficiency in commercial table‐top systems for June‐bearing and ever‐bearing strawberries under glasshouse conditions remains underexplored.Materials and methodsThis study investigated the efficiency of two commercial biostimulants in enhancing the growth, productivity and resilience of two strawberry varieties: ‘Malling Centenary’ (June‐bearer) and ‘Malling Ace’ (ever‐bearer) strawberry cultivars in a soilless hydroponic system within an unheated glasshouse. ‘Vitalnova Prime’ (VP), an amino acid and peptide‐based biostimulant derived from yeast, was applied every 2 weeks as a foliar spray (1 mL/L), whereas ‘Vitalnova Triboost’ (VT), a microbial inoculant with live cultures, was incorporated into the medium post‐transplanting (500 g/m3).ResultsVP significantly enhanced vegetative growth in both cultivars, resulting in substantial increases in number of leaves, crowns, crown diameter and shoot biomass accumulation compared to the control. VT also effectively improved multiple growth parameters compared to the control. Both biostimulants similarly improved crown formation and shoot dry weight in ‘Malling Centenary’. In terms of yield, both VP and VT increased yield in ‘Malling Ace’; notably, VP significantly enhanced the number of marketable fruits by 55% and average fruit weight by 56% compared to the control. Additionally, both biostimulants significantly reduced the occurrence of diseased fruits in both cultivars.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that biostimulants significantly enhance the growth, yield, and resilience of strawberries in soilless cultivation systems within unheated glasshouses. These findings suggest that biostimulants offer a sustainable and promising approach to addressing the increasing global demand for high‐quality strawberries.

Spore Production and Inoculum Formulation of Claroideoglomus Etunicatum and its Application in Maize (Zea Mays)

Recently, the demand for AMF (Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi) fertilizer for agriculture, plantation, and forestry in Indonesia has been very high. Meanwhile, the unavailability of an applicable AMF inoculum that's easy to use and inexpensive is one of the constraints on AMF application as a fertilizer in the field. It indicates that the best formulated inoculum must be found. The study aimed to produce AMF spores using conventional and hydroponic system, formulate the best AMF inoculum, and measure the growth response in maize (Zea mays) after applying the formulated inoculum. In the formulation stage, the study was designed using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 1 factor. The factor was the type of formulation. Data were analyzed using SAS software version 9 and further tested using Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% alpha (α) level. The results reported that the conventional pot culture technique (CVNE2) treatment that had been inoculated by Claroideoglomus etunicatum produced the highest spore density amount of 350 ± 6.97 per 10 g of zeolites (P<0.05). On the other hand, the hydroponic NFT (NFTE2) treatment that had been inoculated by C. etunicatum obtained the highest AMF percent colonization amount of 98% ± 2.66% (P<0.05). Analysis of variance in the formulation stage showed TZ60F1 treatment had a significant effect (P<0.05) in increasing plant height, the number of leaves, and dry weight of Zea mays, respectively 120 cm ± 1.7 cm; 15 ± 0.84; 26.3 g ± 2.46 g in 3 months after application.