Development of an innovative hydroponic system based on grow bags and grow boxes, "Flooding Perlite", filled with substrates made of perlite products and by-products and an organic soil improving material by BIOSOLIDS for growing lettuce (Lactuca sative L.)

Abstract

With the population constantly increasing at a stable rate, it’s no surprise that the demand for food will grow as well. Having this responsibility towards the future of this planet, but also keeping their methods as environmentally friendly as possible can be challenging for the farmers without the correct methods and tools. Also, due to lacking additional land to produce food, enough to meet the projected 10 billion population by 2050, we need to produce food in other media, and not necessary soil. The solution appears to be in using hydroponic food production. There are several efficient systems and soilless substrates used, and in this study, we evaluate a new innovative system, called “flooding” using some inorganic and organic commercial products to evaluate their efficiency. Two main products and byproducts were used (perlite and soil organic material aerobically decomposed, BIOSOLIDS) in two containers: boxes and bags. Three lettuce varieties were used as the preferred plant species, and various measurements were taken to evaluate any difference produced by the main treatments to the final fresh weight harvested. Results have shown that some of the perlite and BIOSOLIDS combinations produced significantly higher lettuce weights. These products can be suggested to farmers to increase productivity. This study continues with the evaluation of other leafy vegetable species.