Soilless Culture Research Articles

Rapid Reduction of Phytotoxicity in Green Waste for Use as Peat Substitute: Optimization of Ammonium Incubation Process.

The rapid growth of the horticultural industry has increased demand for soilless cultivation substrates. Peat, valued for its physical and chemical properties, is widely used in soilless cultivation. However, peat is non-renewable, and over-extraction poses serious ecological risks. Therefore, sustainable alternatives are urgently needed. Ammonium incubation, a novel method to reduce phytotoxicity, offers the potential for green waste, a significant organic solid waste resource, to substitute peat. This study optimized the ammonium incubation process to reduce green waste phytotoxicity. It systematically examined different nitrogen salts (type and amount) and environmental conditions (temperature, aeration, duration) affecting detoxification efficiency. Results show a significant reduction in phytotoxicity with ammonium bicarbonate, carbonate, and sulfate, especially carbonate, at 1.5%. Optimal conditions were 30 °C for 5 days with regular aeration. Under these conditions, ammonium salt-treated green waste significantly reduced total phenolic content and stabilized germination index (GI) at a non-phytotoxic level (127%). Using treated green waste as a partial peat substitute in lettuce cultivation showed promising results. This low-cost, low-energy method effectively converts green waste into sustainable peat alternatives, promoting eco-friendly horticulture and environmental conservation.

Evaluating the Performance of Cocopeat and Volcanic Tuff in Soilless Cultivation of Roses.

Roses are increasingly being grown in soilless systems to increase productivity and reduce the challenges associated with soil-based cultivation. This study investigates the effects of using cocopeat and volcanic tuff substrates, the particle size of tuff, and substrate depth on the growth and flower quality of roses (Rosa hybrida L. cv. top secret) grown under greenhouse conditions. The treatments were cocopeat, tuff, cocopeat-tuff mixture, and tuff of particle size of 2 to 4 mm, 0 to 4 mm, and 0 to 8 mm at depths of 20 cm and 40 cm. The results showed that cocopeat had the highest water-holding capacity and photosynthetic rate. Tuff substrates had higher chlorophyll content throughout the growing season. Although flower numbers per plant in cocopeat and tuff from 0 to 8 mm at a depth of 20 cm were statistically similar, tuff from 0 to 8 mm had longer flowering stems and larger post-harvest flower diameters than cocopeat. An increase in the tuff depth from 20 to 40 cm decreased the flower number and main stem diameter. In conclusion, while cocopeat promotes rapid initial growth, volcanic tuff substrates, particularly tuff from 0 to 8 mm at a depth of 20 cm, provide long-term benefits for flower quality and plant health.

Effect of Substrates and Nutrient Solution Concentrations on Growth and Yield of Cardamom (Amomum testaceum Ridl.) in Soilless Culture

This research aimed to investigate the effects of the substrates and nutrient solutions on the growth and yield of cardamom in soilless culture. The experimental design was 2x3 Factorial in Completely Randomized Design with 5 replications. First factor consisted of coconut coir dust and coconut husk chips and the second factors were 3 nutrient solution concentrations; EC=1.00, 2.00 and 3.00 mS/cm. The experiment was carried out during July to December, 2021. The results showed that cardamom grown using coconut husk chips with nutrient solution concentration of EC= 3.00 mS/cm yielded the highest plant weight (256.00 g/plant) and the highest number of plants (21.30 plant/pot), respectively. For the analysis of interaction effect between substrates and nutrient solution concentrations, it was found that cardamom grown by using chopped coconut husks at EC 3.00 mS/cm gave the highest number of plants (23.60 plants/pot). Therefore, to produce shoots for sale, cardamom should be planted using coconut husk chips at EC 3.00 mS/cm in order to obtain the best cardamom growth and yield.

Integrated Nutrient Management of Fruits, Vegetables, and Crops through the Use of Biostimulants, Soilless Cultivation, and Traditional and Modern Approaches—A Mini Review

The increasing population, its requirements for food, and the environmental impact of the excessive use of inputs make crop production a pressing challenge. Integrated nutrient management (INM) has emerged as a critical solution by maximizing nutrient availability and utilization for crops and vegetables. This review paper highlights the potential benefits of INM for various vegetables and field crops and explores the conceptual strategies, components, and principles underlying this approach. Studies have shown that a wide range of vegetables and field crops benefit from INM, in terms of increased yield and improvements in yield attributes, nutrient contents and uptake, growth parameters, and various physiological and biochemical characteristics. This paper discusses biostimulants, their categories, and their impact on plant propagation, growth, photosynthesis, seed germination, fruit set, and quality. Additionally, this review explores modern sustainable soilless production techniques such as hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics. These cultivation methods highlight the advancements of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) and its contribution to nutrient management, food security and minimizing the environmental footprint. The review concludes by proposing methods and fostering discussions on INM’s future development, while acknowledging the challenges associated with its adoption. Finally, this review emphasizes the substantial evidence supporting INM as a novel and ecologically sound strategy for achieving sustainable agricultural production worldwide.

Suitable Water–Fertilizer Management and Ozone Synergy Can Enhance Substrate-Based Lettuce Yield and Water–Fertilizer Use Efficiency

As living standards rise, enhancing quality has become a central objective for many researchers. Soilless cultivation, known for its efficient use of resources, is increasingly used in vegetable production. It is critical to develop effective water and fertilizer management strategies to achieve high-quality yields and promote sustainable development in modern agriculture. This study employed an orthogonal experimental design to assess the impact of varying nutrient solution concentrations (50%, 75%, 100%, and 125% of Hoagland’s), lower irrigation thresholds (40%, 55%, 70%, and 85% field capacity (FC)), and ozone concentrations (0, 1, 2, and 4 mg·L−1) on lettuce growth, yield, quality, and water–fertilizer use efficiency. The results indicated that fixed nutrient solution concentrations and lower irrigation thresholds enhanced growth metrics for lettuce. Similarly, increasing ozone concentrations initially improved, then reduced growth metrics when the lower irrigation threshold was constant. Furthermore, maintaining stable ozone concentrations while raising the nutrient solution concentration initially boosted, then diminished, growth indicators. Optimal conditions for water and fertilizer management were identified at a nutrient solution concentration of 75% to 100% and an ozone concentration of 0 to 1 mg·L−1. Variance analysis highlighted the significant effects of nutrient solution concentration, lower irrigation thresholds, and ozone concentrations on lettuce yield, quality, and water and fertilizer use efficiency. Range analysis revealed the optimal management combination to be a nutrient solution concentration of 100%, an 85% lower FC irrigation threshold, and an ozone concentration of 1 mg·L−1, yielding 16.82 t·ha−1 of lettuce and a water use efficiency of 40.14 kg·m−3. These findings provide theoretical support for the sustainable advancement of soilless cultivation in contemporary agriculture.

Visual diagnosis of açaí trees under soilless cultivation in the Amazon

The açaí tree culture is extremely important for the Northern Region of Brazil, therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the nutritional status through visual diagnosis of açaí tree leaves. Therefore, the objective of the work was to analyze the development of açaí seedlings, with the omission of macro and micronutrients, characterizing the visual symptoms observed on the leaves of the plants, in this case only for N, P and K. The study was carried out in a greenhouse, which is located at the Federal Institute of Pará (IFPA), Campus Castanhal – PA. A completely randomized experimental design (DIC) was used, with 11 treatments and 5 replications, totaling 55 experimental units. The treatments were: Complete treatment (With all nutrients), Omission of Nitrogen (-N), Omission of Phosphorus (-P), Omission of Potassium (-K), Omission of (-Ca), Omission of Magnesium (-Mg ), Sulfur Omission (-S), Iron Omission (-Fe), Zinc Omission (-Zn), Boron Omission (-B) and Copper Omission (-Cu). The results after application were that the characterization of the visual symptoms of deficiencies that were evident in the leaves of the açaí seedlings, a limitation in the development of the seedlings was observed.

Hydroponic cultivation enhances biomass and medicinal safety of Houttuynia cordata Thunb: An integrated physiological and multi-omics analysis

Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (H. cordata) is a significant medicinal plant in China, known for its strong effects in healthcare and disease treatment. However, wild-harvested H. cordata often accumulates heavy metal contaminants, and currently, there is no environmentally safe method for its cultivation. This study aims to explore the influence of cultivation substrates on the growth, development, and medicinal components of H. cordata, and to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the increased biomass of H. cordata under hydroponic conditions using multi-omics techniques. Methodologically, we employed soilless cultivation to ensure medicinal safety and used multi-omics analysis to reveal the differential metabolites and genes associated with various cultivation methods. Our findings indicate that soilless cultivation effectively reduces H. cordata’s accumulation of benzene while maintaining medicinal component levels comparable to traditional soil cultivation. Hydroponically grown H. cordata exhibits significantly higher biomass compared to other methods. The integration of multi-omics analysis shows that differential metabolites and genes in hydroponically grown H. cordata are primarily enriched in nitrogen metabolism and photosynthetic pathways. Additionally, we found that increased nitric oxide content significantly enhances H. cordata ’s photosynthesis and gene expression, promoting leaf and root growth. In conclusion, soilless cultivation reduces benzene metabolite levels in H. cordata while preserving its medicinal properties, and hydroponics facilitates its growth and development. This study lays a theoretical foundation for the industrial production of environmentally friendly, uncontaminated medicinal H. cordata.

Effective Media Validation, Benefits and Costs for Achieving High Yield in Ribbed Gourd in Soilless Culture under Matric Suction Irrigation

Aims: To standardize an appropriate method of finding suitable particulate organic substrates for composing soilless media, a soilless experiment was conducted in an open wasteland area in pandal system under matric suction irrigation Study Design: Completely Randomized Design Place and Duration of Study: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Trichy, Tamil Nadu during Rabi 2020-2021 Methodology: Three growing media were tested with ten replications. For composing the growing media equal proportion (on a weight basis) of substrates viz., coir pith, vermicompost, fly ash, green manure (Dhaincha), and sand were mixed in different combinations. Ribbed gourd CoH-1 was raised in growing media in containers that were interconnected by tubs and tubes to maintain moisture always by matric suction irrigation technique. Results: Growing media having Coir pith: Vermicompost: Green Manure: Sand registered the highest fruit yield (10.033 kg pot-1), water use efficiency (411.2 kg fresh fruit mm-1) and benefit-cost ratio (1.95) than that of the growing media combination with fly ash. This green manure combination significantly recorded 18% more yield and water use efficiency than that of the coir pith and vermicompost combination. Apparent nutrient recovery was highest in the growing media with coir pith: vermicompost: green manure: sand for N (22.42%), P (23.47%), and K (192.9%). Conclusion: Exploitation of the potentiality of particulate organic materials demonstrated in this soilless system technique may be useful for farmers to generate additional farm income with proper use of particulate organic substrates obtainable/ available in their farm.

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.

Effect of Tomato Grafting onto Novel and Commercial Rootstocks on Improved Salinity Tolerance and Enhanced Growth, Physiology, and Yield in Soilless Culture

Grafting high-yielding tomato varieties onto stress-tolerant rootstocks can mitigate the adverse effects of saline water irrigation on plant tomato productivity in arid regions like Saudi Arabia. This study investigates the efficacy of grafting tomatoes onto both novel and commercial rootstocks to enhance salinity tolerance and its impact on growth, physiological parameters, and yield in a soilless culture system. The experiment involved two water quality levels, 2 (S1) and 4 (S2) dS m−1, two growth media types, volcanic rock (M1) and sand (M2), and six grafting treatments: Tone Guitar F1 non-grafted (G1) (commercial scion), grafted onto itself (G2), Tone Guitar F1* Maxifort F1 (G3) (commercial rootstock), and grafting the scion onto three novel rootstocks, X-218 (G4), X-238 (G5), and Alawamiya365 (G6). Growth, physiology, photosynthetic pigments, and yield improved with lower salinity (2 dS m−1) in volcanic rock and with the grafting treatments (G2–G6) compared to the non-grafted treatment (G1). The best results were achieved with the S1M1G5 treatment, where yield increased by 53% compared to the lowest yield in non-grafted plants grown in sand under higher salinity (S2M2G1). All studied traits were adversely affected under high salinity (S2) in sandy media, with the G1 treatment resulting in the lowest values for these traits.

Interplay of Fogponics and Artificial Intelligence for Potential Application in Controlled Space Farming

Most studies in astrobotany employ soil as the primary crop-growing medium, which is being researched and innovated. However, utilizing soil for planting in microgravity conditions may be impractical due to its weight, the issue of particles suspended in microgravity, and its propensity to harbor pathogenic microorganisms that pose health risks. Hence, soilless irrigation and fertigation systems such as fogponics possess a high potential for space farming. Fogponics is a promising variation of aeroponics, which involves the delivery of nutrient-rich water as a fine fog to plant roots. However, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of fogponics compared to other soilless cultivation methods is essential. Additionally, optimizing fogponics systems for effective crop cultivation in microgravity environments is crucial. This study investigated the interaction of fogponics and artificial intelligence for crop cultivation in microgravity environments, aiming to replace soil-based methods, filling a significant research gap as the first comprehensive examination of this interplay in the literature. A comparative assessment of soilless fertigation and irrigation techniques to identify strengths and weaknesses was conducted, providing an overview through a literature review. This highlights key concepts, methodologies, and findings, emphasizing fogponics’ relevance in space exploration and identifying gaps in current understanding. Insights suggest that developing adaptive fogponics systems for microgravity faces challenges due to uncharacterized fog behavior and optimization complexities without gravity. Fogponics shows promise for sustainable space agriculture, yet it lags in technological integration compared with hydroponics and aeroponics. Future research should focus on microgravity fog behavior analysis, the development of an effective and optimized space mission-compatible fogponics system, and system improvements such as an electronic nose for an adaptive system fog chemical composition. This study recommends integrating advanced technologies like AI-driven closed-loop systems to advance fogponics applications in space farming.

Design and experimental analysis of a closed-loop autonomous rotary hydroponics system for revolutionizing fenugreek yield and enhancing food security

The rotary hydroponics system offers a space-saving and potentially high-yielding solution for soilless cultivation, promoting efficient resource use and automation for sustainable food production. This research investigates a closed-loop rotary hydroponics system designed to revolutionize fenugreek yield and enhance food security through resource-efficient and automated cultivation. Building upon the established benefits of aeroponics, particularly its efficient use of space and resources, rotary hydroponics introduces a groundbreaking, cylindrical design. This innovative approach not only maximizes space efficiency but also paves the way for further automation within the cultivation process. The proposed study delves into the design, development, and experimental analysis of a closed-loop, self-sustaining, and low-maintenance rotary hydroponics system specifically designed for fenugreek cultivation. The system prioritizes minimal human intervention through the integration of software-controlled monitoring and parameter adjustments. The research investigates the effectiveness of the system in promoting plant growth and analyzes the growth stages of fenugreek seedlings transplanted into the system. The experiment yielded promising results, with fenugreek plants reaching full maturity within 30 days and achieving an average height of 15–20 cm. These findings highlight the potential of the rotary hydroponics system to revolutionize fenugreek yield and bolster food security through its resource-efficient and sustainable cultivation approach.

Phenylalanine Controls Blackberry Growth in Sustainable Soilless Culture and Enhances the Content of Phenolic Compounds

Phenylalanine Controls Blackberry Growth in Sustainable Soilless Culture and Enhances the Content of Phenolic Compounds

Evaluation of the nutrient elements profiling of cucumber plants fertigated by three different nutrient solutions in soil and soilless culture systems

Evaluation of the nutrient elements profiling of cucumber plants fertigated by three different nutrient solutions in soil and soilless culture systems

Utilisation of Green Manures as Organic Substrates in Soilless Culture: A Review

Utilisation of Green Manures as Organic Substrates in Soilless Culture: A Review

Changes in growth, essential oil composition and biochemical traits of peppermint in response to coapplication of zinc and methyl jasmonate in soilless culture

Zinc (Zn), a micronutrient, is a source of energy for essential oil (EO) biosynthesis. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a plant growth regulator that has favorable effects on EO quality and quantity. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction effect of Zn and MeJA on the phytochemical traits and EO compositions of peppermint cultivated under soilless conditions. Zn omission and the highest Zn concentration (0.1 mgL−1), which are stress conditions for plants, increased phytochemical traits as well as EO content, and 1 mM MeJA was more suitable for increasing these parameters. The major classes of peppermint EO components were oxygenated monoterpenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, and monoterpene hydrocarbons. The major constituents included menthol, menthone, menthofuran, and 1,8-cineole. Elicitation of peppermint with MeJA at different Zn levels modified the EO composition. The highest menthol content (50.1%) was observed in the 1 mM MeJA and 0.025 mgL−1 Zn treatment groups. In conclusion, this study indicated that Zn and MeJA could be appropriate compounds for changing phytochemical compounds, antioxidant activity, and EO composition.

Bulb growth parameters of wild geophyte, giant snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii Hook. f.) in different media and nutrient solution recipes

Giant snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii Hook. f.) is reported on CITES lists as the most important wild-collected export flower bulb of Turkey. After the destruction caused by extensive collecting for many years, collection and trade have been controlled by the government since the late 1980’s. Export quotas are annually set by a technical committee, following field inspections by scientific teams. Small bulbs (under-sized) are also unintentionally collected from nature together with marketable sized bulbs (> 4 cm). Low success rate at cultivation of field grown snowdrop and loss of these small bulbs reveals the necessity of the studies on soilless culture. This study aimed to select the suitable growing media and mineral nutrition for snowdrop bulb production. Under-sized (unmarketable) bulbs of Galanthus elwesii Hook. f. were cultivated in four different growing media (perlite, coco-peat, soil, or spent mushroom compost + perlite) with four different nutrient solutions. The growing media affected most of the investigated parameters (sprouting time, sprouting ratio, total weight and increase ratio, number of harvested bulbs, and bulb grades). No significant effect of nutrient solutions was determined on the parameters. Spent mushroom compost + perlite appeared to be the most effective growing media.

Experimental assessment of biostimulants on mung bean growth on a soilless culture system using superabsorbent pectin based hydrogel

Sustainable agriculture initiatives are needed to ensure the food security of the people all over the world. Soilless cultivation methods using hydrogels may give a revolutionary response as well as a more ecological and productive alternative to conventional farming. This study attempted extraction of pectin from the rind of albedo yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa Degener)and hydrogels from pectin and activated carbon was compared with pure pectin hydrogel; Pectin- Activated Carbon hydrogels (PAC) showed a microporous structure with excellent hydrophilicity and showed superior water holding capacity. Then the prepared hydrogels were examined with various instrumental techniques like FTIR, SEM, XRD, Raman, BET and rheological properties. In the BET analysis, PAC3 shows the highest surface area of 28.771 m2/g when compared to PAC0 at 15.063 m2/g. The germination experiments were performed using mung beans. This study provides an opportunity for the application of pectin hydrogels in agriculture field specifically for home garden or rooftop cultivation.

Bioponic Cultivation Using Chicken Droppings to Produce Lettuce Plants (Lactuca sativa rz) Uncontaminated by Trace Metals

Anthropogenic activities have denatured aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial environments throughout the world in general, and in Lubumbashi in particular, where market garden soils have become uncultivable for many plants. Thus, bioponics could be an effective means of producing uncontaminated vegetables in soilless cultivation, not only reducing the amount of fertilizer used and limiting contamination of agricultural produce but also achieving higher yields than in open-ground cultivation. The overall objective of this study was to implement a new bioponic technique for producing liquid fertilizer from chicken manure and utilize it in the organic hydroponic cultivation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. Lucrecia) installed on floating raft systems. To achieve this, two types of trials were conducted. The first was aimed at determining the quantities of organic matter to be used in the formulation of nutrient solutions. The second trial aimed to determine the optimal nitrogen concentration to be provided for hydroponic plant growth. Mineralization and/or anaerobic digestion of chicken manure were conducted for 7 days in 200 L barrels. For the first trial, nutrient solutions were created from three different concentrations of chicken manure (0.35%, 3.5%, and 7% dry matter—D.M.). These solutions were then used in bioponic rafts where total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations were fixed at 150 mg/L. For the second trial, D.M. was fixed at 2.5% for each tested modality, but TAN concentrations varied among them (i.e., 60, 90, and 120 mg/L TAN concentration). Modalities with low D.M. concentration (0.35%) and those with low TAN concentration (60 mg/L) resulted in higher yields than bioponic modalities receiving high concentrations of dry matter or TAN, respectively, for trials 1 and 2. Although the reference chemical solutions generate the greatest yields, bioponic systems operating with chicken manure present a good alternative for the cultivation of vegetables in developing countries with heavily contaminated soils. Indeed, bioponics allows for the production of vegetables in large quantities from animal waste, which does not pose health risks for human consumption. Local vegetable species commonly grown in Lubumbashi should be tested under hydroponic conditions.

Improvement in Productivity and Quality of Soilless Saffron Crops by Implementing Fertigation

Saffron cultivation is important in global agriculture and is mainly flourishing in Mediterranean climates. Although it originated in Asia Minor, it is widely grown in regions such as Iran, India, Spain, Morocco, Greece, and Italy. Labour-intensive harvesting, mainly by hand, characterises its production and offers substantial employment opportunities in cultivating areas. However, traditional saffron-producing countries such as Spain, Italy, and Greece have witnessed declining production due to labour demands and competition from low-wage countries. Mechanization remains unfeasible due to the delicate nature of the plant. To revitalise saffron cultivation, efforts have been focused on reducing labour costs, improving productivity, and improving quality through innovative techniques, such as soilless crops. In this study, the productivity and quality of saffron was evaluated in a soilless culture and three fertigation doses were evaluated: a control, consisting of Sonneveld and Voogt’s standard nutrient solution, and two treatments with two supplemented solutions, 30% K and 30% Ca. The results indicated that the solution with 30% K obtained higher corm productivity, as well as better quality saffron, as all the products of this treatment were included in Category I according to the ISO 3632 standard, while the quality of saffron grown with the control solution was lower.