Use Of Hydroponics Research Articles

SISTEME VERTICALE HIDROPONICE: INTENSIFICAREA REZISTENȚEI LA CLIMĂ, EFICIENȚEI APEI ȘI AGRICULTURII URBANE

This paper explores hydroponic vertical systems as a sustainable solution to modern agricultural challenges, particularly those posed by climate change. Hydroponics, a method of growing plants without soil using nutrient-rich water solutions, offers significant advantages over traditional farming. Vertical systems maximize space efficiency by growing plants in stacked layers, making them ideal for urban environments with limited space. These systems provide a controlled environment that mitigates the impacts of extreme weather, ensuring consistent crop production. The paper reviews various hydroponic techniques, including deep water culture, nutrient film technique, flood and drain, and drip irrigation. It highlights the efficiency of water use in hydroponics, crucial for areas facing water scarcity. Advanced technologies, such as sensors, automated nutrient delivery, and LED lighting, are employed to optimize growing conditions, enhance resource use efficiency, and improve crop yields. LED lights, in particular, offer energy efficiency, customizable spectra, and low heat output. Mathematical models are used to maximize plant development and resource efficiency, providing a framework for understanding plant-environment interactions. Despite high initial setup costs and the need for technical expertise, hydroponic systems present long-term economic and environmental benefits. This paper underscores hydroponic vertical systems' potential to revolutionize urban agriculture, ensuring food security and sustainability amidst climate change challenges.

Progress on the Use of Hydroponics to Remediate Hog Farm Wastewater after Vermifiltration Treatment

Hog farm wastewater may require novel biological treatment techniques to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Previous studies combining vermifiltration with downstream hydroponics showed the need for a balanced wastewater nutrient content, particularly the nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio. Here, a deep-water culture hydroponic system, growing lettuce as model culture, was used to remediate hog farm wastewater after an initial vermifiltration stage, aiming to produce an effluent suitable for irrigation. Supplemented vermifiltered wastewater (SVW) with added nutrients was tested against unsupplemented vermifiltered wastewater (VW) over 35 days, using a synthetic nutrient solution (NS) as a control. Supplementation was shown to improve lettuce growth, light use efficiency, and water use efficiency. Nutrient analysis over time showed a better-balanced phosphorus and nitrogen removal in SVW than in VW; in all treatments nitrogen and phosphorus content was reduced to legally acceptable levels for treated wastewater reuse in irrigation: nitrate 5 mgN L−1 in VW and undetectable in SVW and NS; ammonia undetectable in all treatments; and total phosphorus 2.4 mg L−1 in SVW, 0.9 mg L−1 in NS and undetectable in VW. Coliforms increased in VW and SVW during hydroponic treatment, which should be solved by disinfection. Overall, combining vermifiltration with downstream hydroponic culture proved to be a promising treatment to remediate nutrients in hog farm effluent to make it suitable to be reused for irrigation.

МАТЕМАТИЧНЕ МОДЕЛЮВАННЯ ВПЛИВУ ОПРОМІНЕННЯ НА ПРОДУКТИВНІСТЬ ПРОЦЕСУ ВИРОЩУВАННЯ РОСЛИННОЇ ПРОДУКЦІЇ В ГІДРОПОННІЙ УСТАНОВЦІ

The actual problems of agriculture not only in Ukraine but also in other countries are to increase crop yields, increase nutritional value, quality and reduce production costs, reduce the required production area, the cost of agricultural machinery, etc. In this regard, hydroponic plants look quite promising, as they provide round-the-clock cultivation of a wide range of crops with minimal space, capital and operating costs, and a halved harvest period. The widespread introduction of hydroponic equipment and technology in Ukraine will allow for the fullest realization of the concept of small enterprises, which in this case can be created with little or no start-up capital. In addition, the use of hydroponics will allow existing enterprises of various profiles and small farms to receive additional income or valuable plant material. Hydroponics is a promising area of modern agriculture that ensures long-term cultivation of the main types of vegetables and greenery in small areas with minimal water and fertilizer consumption. This technology allows you to get a fairly large harvest of fresh vegetables within large cities, including office and residential premises. The main trends in improving this technology are expanding the range of crops grown, their yields, more efficient use of land, soil, nutrients, minerals, water, energy, and reducing the cost of finished products.. The article is devoted to the development and study of a mathematical model of the influence of irradiation on the productivity and quality of hydroponically grown products. In particular, dependencies were obtained to determine the influence of irradiation parameters on the development of lettuce, the use of which allows predicting the size and weight of the plant, forming the basis for optimizing the operating parameters of the hydroponic plant.

Increased Accumulation of Ginsenosides in Panax ginseng Sprouts Cultivated with Kelp Fermentates

Currently, new agri-tech has been developed and adapted for the cultivation of crops using smart farming technologies, e.g., plant factories and hydroponics. Kelp (Laminaria japonica), which has a high industrial value, was considered as an alternative to chemicals for its eco-friendly and sustainably wide use in crop cultivation. In this study, a fermented kelp (FK) was developed for use in hydroponics. The FK contained various free and protein-bound amino acid compositions produced by fermenting the kelp with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Supplementing FK as an aeroponic medium when cultivating ginseng sprouts (GSs) elevated the total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Additionally, seven ginsenosides (Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rg2, Rb2, and Rd) in GSs cultivated with FK in a smart-farm system were identified and quantified by a high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector/mass spectrometry analysis. Administering FK significantly increased the ginsenosides in the GSs compared to the control group, which was cultivated with tap water. These results indicate the FK administration contributed to the increased accumulation of ginsenosides in the GSs. Overall, this study suggests that FK, which contains abundant nutrients for plant growth, can be used as a novel nutrient solution to enhance the ginsenoside content in GSs during hydroponic cultivation.

Hydroponic Trough Systems for Maximising Cucumber Production

Abstract: Hydroponics is a promising solution to address the increasing demand for food caused by limited arable land and a growing global population. This article focuses on the use of hydroponics in cucumber cultivation, specifically highlighting the adaptability of hydroponic trough system. It explains the design elements of the trough system in detail, including configuration, growing medium, nutrient solution, and support structures. The article emphasises the advantages of hydroponic trough systems in cucumber cultivation, such as precise nutrient dispensation, space efficiency, water conservation, and potential for automation. It discusses strategies for optimal cucumber production within these systems, including temperature control, pollination techniques, pruning, and pH monitoring. The article also addresses the challenges of insect and pest attacks, introducing common pests and presenting integrated pest management strategies for effective control. It explores diseases that can affect cucumber crops in hydroponic systems, such as powdery mildew, downy mildew, Pythium root rot, and Fusarium wilt. It discusses strategies to prevent these diseases, including preventive measures, disease-resistant cucumber varieties, cultural practices, and bio methods. By considering all these aspects, a comprehensive approach to disease management can be established. Overall, adopting hydroponic trough systems in cucumber cultivation offers a sustainable and efficient solution to traditional farming challenges. By incorporating preventive measures, disease-resistant cultivars, and organic remedies, farmers can ensure a thriving cucumber harvest and contribute to a productive and sustainable agricultural future.

ГИДРОПОННАЯ УСТАНОВКА С ПРИМЕНЕНИЕМ СВЕТИЛЬНИКОВ РАЗЛИЧНОГО СПЕКТРА ИЗЛУЧЕНИЯ

Hydroponics allows you to regulate the growing conditions of plants – to create a nutrition regime for the root system that fully meets the needs of plants for nutrients, humidity, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air most favorable for photosynthesis, as well as to regulate the temperature and humidity of the air and the root habitat, the intensity and duration of lighting. As a result of the research, lamps of various radiation spectra were installed in a hydroponic installation. The purpose of this article is to analyze the effect of different radiation spectra on the cultivation of various plant crops. As a result of the experiment, the lamps of the white and red-blue radiation spectrum, which were used for growing clover, were analyzed in the periodic switching mode. Hydroponics is an effective method of producing microgreens. It allows you to grow plants without using soil, use resources efficiently and improve product quality. In the future, the use of hydroponics for growing microgreens can become an important element of sustainable agriculture that can provide people with nutritious and delicious products. It allows you to grow more plants per unit area, as the roots of the plants are immersed in a nutrient solution that provides optimal nutrition. This makes it possible to obtain a higher yield of microgreens. The automatic system provides optimal conditions for plant growth, which leads to higher-quality and tasty microgreens. In addition, in hydroponics, it is possible to control the level of nutrients and influence their concentration, which allows you to obtain microgreens with certain properties.

ADVANTAGES OF USING HYDROPONIC PLANTS OF CYLINDRICAL FORM WITH AUTOMATED GROWING PROCESS

The article raises the question of the use of hydroponics for growing agricultural crops in modern conditions - this is the growth of plants under the condition of limiting the area and lighting of the premises for cultivation. This approach makes it possible to implement hydroponic systems on an industrial scale in conditions of urban population growth and urbanization. Solving the issue simplifies the chain "agricultural enterprise - consumer" and provides an opportunity to reduce the cost of final products. The main modern cultivation methods and schemes were analyzed, the shortcomings of such systems were identified, and a solution was proposed that would lead to the minimization of costs. This will preserve all the advantages of growing plants in a soilless environment using nutrient solutions. From a large list of options for hydroponic plants and different ways of arranging plants and their root systems in the growing process, the one proposed for use of the equipment based on the technique of using a nutrient layer flowing in the middle of the plant with a cylindrical arrangement of plants in the complex prevails in terms of the use of space and consumption of energy resources. The cultivation process when using such equipment by the position of the plants on the periphery effectively combines almost all the advantages of the technology. The cylindrical rotary hydroponic system proposed for use makes it possible to obtain a larger number of planting places for cultivation on a smaller area of coverage than with the vertical method of cultivation using a multi-tiered method. At the same time, energy costs for the use of lighting and additional lighting are reduced. Due to the automation of the growing process in hydroponic systems, the required amount of human labor is reduced. The use of a modern complex microcontroller control system, consisting of programmable modules controlling individual systems, allows almost complete automation of the growing process and completely excludes the influence of the human factor on the course of events. Therefore, automation in hydroponic systems is an important step towards increasing the efficiency and sustainability of plant cultivation in modern agriculture.

The economic viability of commercial-scale hydroponics: Nigeria as a case study

The use of hydroponics to cultivate economic crops is an emerging agricultural practice in Nigeria. There is, however, a paucity of information on the economic viability and valuation of the production systems. This study investigated hydroponics' profitability and economic viability under small- and medium-scale production systems. The economic viability of ten hydroponic farms were evaluated using the financial metrics: net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), benefit-cost ratio (BCR), and sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis based on positive and negative changes in the running cost and gross annual revenue was adopted to measure the robustness of the production method. The positive NPVs of the small-scale farmer (€42,895) and medium-scale farmer (€331,465) at a 15% discount rate show that both production scales are economically viable. The ten-year IRR of both production scales was about 83%. Similarly, the BCR showed that both the small-scale farmers (5.07) and the medium-scale farmers (4.91) are significantly profitable. In the sensitivity analysis, the small-scale farmers were more sensitive to recurrent 5% changes in the running cost at the 13% threshold. On the other hand, medium-scale farmers were less sensitive with a threshold value of 58.4%. Similarly, small-scale farmers are more sensitive to a 15% reduction in the gross annual revenue, with a negative net return of -€956. It is imperative to state that, though starting an investment in hydroponics requires a high initial investment, medium-scale farmers would be less sensitive to changes in the running cost of production in the face of uncertainties.

Second-Generation Magnesium Phosphates as Water Extractant Agents in Forward Osmosis and Subsequent Use in Hydroponics.

The recovery of nutrients from wastewater streams for their later use in agricultural fertilization is an interesting approach. Wastewater recovered magnesium phosphate (MgP) salts were used in a forward osmosis (FO) system as draw solution in order to extract water and to produce a nutrient solution to be used in a hydroponic system with lettuces (Lactuca sativa, L.). Owing to the low solubility of the MgP salts (i.e., struvite, hazenite and cattiite) in water, acid dissolution was successfully tested using citric and nitric acids to reach pH 3.0. The dilution by FO of the dissolved salts reached levels close to those needed by a hydroponic culture. Ion migration through the membrane was medium to high, and although it did not limit the dilution potential of the system, it might decrease the overall feasibility of the FO process. Functional growth of the lettuces in the hydroponic system was achieved with the three MgP salts using the recovered water as nutrient solution, once properly supplemented with nutrients with the desired concentrations. This is an innovative approach for promoting water reuse in hydroponics that benefits from the use of precipitated MgP salts as a nutrient source.

Saving CO2 Emissions by Reusing Organic Growing Media from Hydroponic Tomato Production as a Source of Nutrients to Produce Ethiopian Kale (Brassica carinata)

Large quantities of growing media residues that are rich in nutrients are disposed of after their use in hydroponics. The objective of this study was to investigate the benefits of different organic growing media (wood fibers, hemp fibers, sphagnum moss) residues from hydroponic tomato production as a nutrient source to produce Ethiopian kale. The amount of nutrients that can be reused as fertilizer and the associated CO2 savings have been calculated. Kale was cultivated in sand-residue mixtures, either with 25 or 50 vol% of the mentioned growing media residues. Control treatments with sand with or without nutrient addition were cultivated too. The incorporation of all growing media residues to sand increased the field capacity and growth. Plants that were supplemented with hemp fiber residues showed the strongest growth and highest yields. However, the hemp fiber residues that are used are not suitable for use in the open field due to its excessive content of certain nutrients, which restrict the output quantity. Regarding the fertilization effect of growing media residues, it was calculated that 11–300 kg nutrients ha−1 (N, P, K, Mg, Ca, S), with an average primary energy demand of 90–3435 MJ and 6–317 kg CO2 eq, could potentially be saved when different crops were considered.

Vetiver Floating Wetlands for Dyeing Effluent

As a result of industrialization, the degree of global water contamination has drastically grown in recent decades. Both rich and developing nations are seeing this worldwide trend, although the later are experiencing it more pronouncedly. Due to its extraordinary and distinctive morphological and physiological characteristics, the Vetiver Floating Wetlands (VFWs), which is based on Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides), has been successfully used as a phytoremediation tool to remediate both polluted water like municipal wastewater such as sewage effluent, landfill leachate, urban runoff, drainage channels, industrial wastewater such as food processing factories, and contaminated land (mine overburden and tailings, solid waste dumps). This study focuses on the use of hydroponics and floating wetlands to clean contaminated dyeing effluent. This study aims to find the efficiency of Vetiver Floating wetlands over various physio-chemical parameters in Dyeing effluent. The study was laid down in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore in 2022 during the month of April- May. The effluent was diluted to different concentrations namely 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Various parameters were analyzed in these treatments in Dyeing effluent. The samples were collected at 15 days interval analyzed for one month. In Dyeing effluent, 50% concentration of the effluent showed better results over Vetiver Floating Wetlands and the removal efficiency was greater at this particular concentration.

Seasonal Nitrous Oxide Emissions From Hydroponic Tomato and Cucumber Cultivation in a Commercial Greenhouse Company

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is considered as the most critical greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted by agricultural and horticultural food production. Hydroponic vegetable cultivation in greenhouse systems has a high potential for N2O emissions due to the intense application of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Previous studies on model hydroponic systems indicate that N2O emissions per unit area can be several times higher than typically found during field cultivation. However, reliable data from production-scale hydroponic systems is missing. Here we report our findings from monitoring the N2O emissions in a commercial production greenhouse, located in the east of Germany, over a period of 1 year. We used the static chamber method to estimate N2O fluxes in the root zones of hydroponic tomato and cucumber cultures on rock wool growing bags with drip fertigation. Regular sampling intervals (weekly-biweekly) were used to calculate whole season cumulative N2O emissions and N2O emission factors (EFs) based on the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied. Our results indicate that the seasonal N2O emissions from hydroponic greenhouse cultivation are considerably smaller than expected from previous studies. In total, we estimated average cumulative N2O emissions of 2.3 and 1.5 kg N2O–N ha−1 yr−1 for tomato and cucumber cultures, respectively. Average EFs were 0.31% for tomato cultivation with drain re-use (closed hydroponic system), and 0.13% for cucumber cultivation without drain re-use (open hydroponic system). These values lie below the general EF for N2O from agricultural soils, noted with 1% by the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC). In conclusion, considering the high yield of greenhouse cultivation, hydroponic systems provide a way of producing vegetables climate-friendly, in terms of direct GHG emissions. Further attention should be given to reducing energy inputs, e.g., by using regenerative sources or thermal discharge from industrial processes, and to increasing circularity, e.g., by using recycling fertilizers derived from waste streams. Especially in urban and peri-urban areas, the use of hydroponics is promising to increase local and sustainable food production.

RANCANG BANGUN SISTEM MONITORING PADA HIDROPONIK NFT (NURTIENT FILM TEHCNIQUE) BERBASIS IOT

The use of hydroponics is an effective way to carry out farming activities without theneed for large tracts of land. Hydroponics requires extra supervision to be able to produceplants with good quality. There are three main parameters in hydroponics, namely the amountof dissolved nutrient content, the pH level in water, and the water suhue level. To provideconvenience in conducting surveillance, this research designed an IoT-based NFT hydroponicmonitoring system. The use of TDS sensors, pH sensors, and temperatur sensors DS18B20 inthis study are used to measure any changes that occur in the three parameters. Sensor datawill be processed by Arduino Mega 2560 and sent to Firebase databases via NodeMCUESP8266 which is connected to the internet network, so users can supervise anytime andanywhere through the android mobile application.

ИЗУЧЕНИЕ ВЛИЯНИЯ БИОРЕГУЛЯТОРОВ НА ПРОДУКТИВНОСТЬ И РАЗВИТИЕ РАСТЕНИЙ, ВЫРАЩИВАЕМЫХ МЕТОДОМ ГИДРОПОНИКИ

In many regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the environmental situation is deteriorating. The total area of the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan according to the land balance as of November 1, 2013 is 272.5 million hectares. In recent years, under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors, the volume of pastures has increased per unit area, soil fertility has decreased, irrigation and rainwater nutrients have decreased, salinization and irrigation areas have decreased, crop yields have decreased, and water and soil pollution are increasing, and certain species of flora and fauna are at risk of extinction. Most of the Republic's territory is located in desert zones (60% of the territory). In agriculture, industry and everyday life, the role of hydroponics is increasing. One of the reasons for this is a reduction in the financial costs of tillage, protection from weeds and pests when using the hydroponics method, as well as an increase in a large number of plants on a limited landing site. Water and mineral fertilizers are spent more efficiently due to their repeated use. Growing plants using hydroponics is very profitable, since in a short period of time you can get a crop using year-round and small areas. Here, an important role is played not only by macro-and know the concentration of trace elements. As a result, plants do not realize their potential, and therefore do not always give a high-quality product. The use of hydroponics also reduces the financial costs of soil cultivation, protection from weeds and pests, and will increase the number of plants on the landing site with a limited volume.

Physicochemical transformation of expanded vermiculite after long-term use in hydroponics

Physicochemical properties of expanded vermiculite-phlogopite products from Kovdor (Murmansk region, Russia) used for 15 years as a hydroponics substratum were studied. The four investigated samples were as follows: natural vermiculite, initial expanded (roasted at 700 °C) vermiculite, spent expanded vermiculite and spent vermiculite roasted again at the same temperature. Data on the bulk density, field capacity, hygroscopicity, and expansion coefficients showed that the degradation of the substratum was accompanied by mechanical destruction, reduction of water absorption by half, and transformation of mineral phases. The structural transformation of expanded vermiculite was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), coupled with a mass spectrometric analysis of the released gases. Under conditions with a sufficient supply of plants with potassium of nutrient solution, a change in the mineral composition occurred: a decrease in the content of vermiculite and an increase in phlogopite. The formation of organomineral complexes on the surface of the vermiculite was detected. There was no noticeable change in the chemical composition of the expanded vermiculite during its use in hydroponics. In essence, the levels of potentially toxic elements (Mn, V, Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn) met environmental regulations, and the levels of major elements (Mg, Ca, K, Fe, Mn) corresponded to those found in natural vermiculite. The chemical composition and structure of spent vermiculite allows its use as an ameliorant to improve soil, water, and air regimens.

Quality and Yield of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil under hydroponic cultivation

Objective: to assess the production of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown in a greenhouse under open hydroponic system, using tezontle (volcanic gravel) as substrate. Methodology: three planting densities were evaluated: D1, D2 and D3 (14, 28 and 71 plants m-2, respectively) and two concentrations of Steiner nutrient solution (S1: 100%, and S2: 50%). Results: the highest values for fresh and dry weight of the aerial part, were the treatments S1 D1, S1 D2 and S2 D1. With S1 D1 the largest leaf area was obtained. Dry matter obtained was 14.03 mg g-1 of essential oil. Findings: the use of hydroponics with an increase in sowing density can generate up to 70.21 t ha-1.

REVIEW : PEMANFAATAN TEKNOLOGI GREENHOUSE DAN HIDROPONIK SEBAGAI SOLUSI MENGHADAPI PERUBAHAN IKLIM DALAM BUDIDAYA TANAMAN HORTIKULTURA

Horticulture plant is essential component of agricultural development. It brings benefits products horticulture meet their food needs , aesthetic and to maintain health and environment. Climate change and the limited resources land causing loss for farmers food crops and horticulture. The purpose of drafting this paper is to inform the utilization of technology greenhouse and hydroponics as solutions to deal with climate change in the cultivation of plants horticulture. To get the result harvest season which is satisfying in the cultivation of plants horticulture , need to pay attention to environmental factor growing plants. The utilization of greenhouse in the cultivation of plants is one of a manner to give the environment that were more accessible for the condition of optimum position for the growth of plants. The use of hydroponics in cultivation crop can be implemented in greenhouse to keep the growth of plants optimally and protected from outside influences

PEMBERDAYAAN ANGGOTA AISYIYAH WILAYAH DIY MELALUI PROGRAM CERDAS LINGKUNGAN DALAM PEMANFAATAN LAHAN SEMPIT

Population increase will be accompanied by increasing in cloth, food and shelter. This increase causes the green area and urban yard narrowed. Plants that can be planted at the yard only certain and usually potted plants. Responding to this, the Biology Study Program, FMIPA, UAD in collaboration with the Environmental and Disaster Management Agency (LLHPB), PWA DIY formulated a farming solution. The purpose of this activity were to increase the knowledge about environmental damage and knowledge of hydroponics, benefits, and types of PWA DIY members. As well as improving the skills to cultivate through hydroponics. The methods that used were counseling and training. Planting process through DFT (Drip Flow Technique) and Wick systems with used bottles. The DFT installation used as a pilot project at the PWA DIY office, while the Wick System installation was taught at every opportunity. The results that obtained are PWA DIY members had carried out the harvesting once in the DFT installation. Vegetables that harvested were pakcoy and salada. The conclusion of this activity were the use of hydroponics can help utilize and maximize narrow land in urban areas. The use of hydroponic systems was more effective and efficient than the use of pots.

Development of automatically controlled corona plasma system for inactivation of pathogen in hydroponic cultivation medium of tomato

A nutrient solution treatment system using corona plasma is developed for practical use in hydroponics. A gas-liquid separated reactor and a high voltage power supply based on a 20 kHz inverter neon-transformer are developed to archive the treatment with high energy efficiency, a low initial cost and a low running cost. The performance of the system on bacteria inactivation in the nutrient solution is evaluated in a continuous treatment system operation. The results show that the standard plate count for background microflora and R. solanacearum is drastically reduced by the plasma treatment and is not detected after 8 days treatment. The nutrient solution is decontaminated by 4 log cycle with plasma treatment under the continuous operation condition.

Production of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seedlings in granulate rockwool and expanded perlite for use in hydroponics.

The quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seedlings is closely dependent on the substrate and the management practice during the transplant to the hydroponic system. This seed bed process may affect the normal development of the seedlings by affecting the post-transplanting period, potentially causing root stress, infl uencing establishment and even leading to seedling loss. An important criterion when choosing either a single or mixed substrate is the ability to provide for both growth and establishment of the seedlings in the hydroponic system. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of granulated rockwool substrate (Agrolan™, Compania Industrial El Volcan S.A., Santiago, Chile), expanded perlite A6 (Harbolite Chile Ltda., Santiago, Chile) and a mixture of both substrates on seedling growth, development and establishment after transplant of lettuce seedlings to an NFT-modifi ed hydroponic system. Growth analyses were performed at the 2 to 3 true leaf stage of the lettuce seedlings, which were subsequently transferred to an NFT-modifi ed hydroponic system. The stress level was evaluated at 10 days after transplant. From emergence until the 2 to 3 true leaf stage, no signifi cant differences were observed between the assayed substrates. However, there was a consistent tendency for better growth development when seedlings were cultivated in the 100% rockwool substrate or in the substrate mixture containing rockwool in comparison to 100% expanded perlite. The differences obtained at seedling stages were maintained after seedlings were transplanted. The effect of the substrate was statistically signifi cant (p ≤ 0.05) for all evaluated parameters 10 days after transplanting. These results confi rmed that the rockwool substrate, alone or in combination with expanded perlite, allows for the production of high-quality lettuce seedlings that optimally respond to their establishment in an NFT-modifi ed hydroponic system. La calidad fi nal de un plantin depende estrechamente del sustrato empleado y del manejo realizado durante el transplante al sistema hidroponico. Este proceso puede afectar negativamente el desarrollo posterior de los plantines, alterando el periodo de postransplante, debido que provoca estres a nivel radical, que genera perdidas por problemas en el establecimiento de los plantines. Un criterio importante para elegir un sustrato, ya sea solo o en mezcla, es asegurar la continuidad del crecimiento y el establecimiento de los plantines en el sistema hidroponico. El objetivo de esta investigacion fue evaluar los efectos de lana de roca granulada (Agrolan®, Compania Industrial El Volcan S.A., Santiago, Chile), perlita expandida A6 (Harbolite Chile Ltda., Santiago, Chile) y mezcla de ambos sustratos sobre el crecimiento, desarrollo y posterior establecimiento de plantines de lechuga (Lactuca sativa L.) en un sistema hidroponico NFTmodifi cado. Los analisis de crecimiento se realizaron cuando los plantines estaban en el estado de 2a a 3a hoja verdadera y posteriormente se procedio al establecimiento de ellas en un sistema hidroponico NFT-modifi cado con el objetivo de evaluar el estres 10 dias post transplante. En la primera etapa del desarrollo de los plantines (desde la emergencia hasta el transplante) no se observaron diferencias signifi cativas en los sustratos utilizados. Pero consistentemente se obtuvo una tendencia de un mayor crecimiento de los plantines cuando el sustrato era 100% lana de roca y tambien con las distintas mezclas de este sustrato, en comparacion con los resultados obtenidos al emplear 100% perlita expandida. Esta diferencia se mantuvo despues del transplante. El efecto del sustrato empleado fue estadisticamente signifi cativo (p ≤ 0.05) en todos los parametros evaluados 10 dias post transplante. Confi rmandose nuevamente que el sustrato lana de roca (solo o en mezcla con perlita expandida) permitio producir plantines de lechuga de calidad, los que responden de forma optima al establecimiento en un sistema hidroponico NFT-modifi cado.