Search

Abstract Background The utilization of nutrition management, has recently been developed as a means of improving the growth and production of phytochemical compounds in herbs. The present study aimed to improve the growth, physiological, and phytochemical characteristics of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) using different NH4 + (ammonium) to NO3̄ (nitrate) ratios (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0) under floating culture system (FCS). Results The treatment containing 0:100 - NH4 +:NO3̄ ratio showed the most remarkable values for the growth and morpho-physiological characteristics of M. officinalis. The results demonstrated that maximum biomass (105.57 g) earned by using the ratio of 0:100 and minimum at 75:25 ratio of NH4 +: NO3̄. The plants treated with high nitrate ratio (0:100 - NH4 +:NO3̄) showed the greatest concentration of total phenolics (60.40 mg GAE/g DW), chlorophyll a (31.32 mg/100 g DW), flavonoids (12.97 mg QUE/g DW), and carotenoids (83.06 mg/100 g DW). Using the 75:25 - NH4 +:NO3̄ ratio caused the highest dry matter (DM), N and K macronutrients in the leaves. The highest antioxidant activity by both DPPH (37.39 µg AAE/mL) and FRAP (69.55 mM Fe++/g DW) methods was obtained in 75:25 - NH4 +:NO3̄ treatment. The p-coumaric acid as a main abundant phenolic composition, was detected by HPLC analysis as the highest content in samples grown under 0:100 - NH4 +:NO3̄ treatment. Also, the major compounds in M. officinalis essential oil were identified as geranial, neral, geranyl acetate and geraniol by GC analysis. With increasing NO3̄ application, geraniol and geranyl acetate contents were decreased. Conclusions The findings of present study suggest that the management of NH4+ to NO3̄ ratios in nutrient solutions could contribute to improving growth, physiological and phytochemical properties of M. officinalis. The plants treated with high nitrate ratio (especially 0:100 - NH4 +:NO3̄) showed the greatest effects on improving the growth and production of morpho-physiological and phytochemical compounds. By comprehensively understanding the intricate dynamics among nitrogen sources, plants, and their surroundings, researchers and practitioners can devise inventive approaches to optimize nitrogen management practices and foster sustainable agricultural frameworks.

When urban agriculture is addressed at a family scale, known as urban gardening, it is assumed as a non-commercial activity where some family members voluntarily take care of the plantation during their free time. If technology is going to be used to support such a process, then the solutions should consider the particularities of these gardeners (e.g., life dynamics and culture) to make them adoptable. The literature reports several urban agriculture experiences in Western countries and Southeast Asia; however, this activity has been poorly explored in South American countries, particularly at a family scale and considering the culture and the affordability of the solutions. This article presents an experience report of urban gardening in Peru, where a prototype of an IoT system and a mobile application were conceived, implemented, and used to support the gardening of vegetables at a family scale, considering the cultural aspects of the gardeners. This experience obtained positive results in terms of tomato production, mainly showing the system's capability to self-adapt its behavior to consider the cultivation conditions of these urban gardeners. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first IoT system that can be iteratively adjust its behavior to improve the chances of being adopted by a particular end-user population (i.e., gardeners). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The utilization of nutrition management, has recently been developed as a means of improving the growth and production of phytochemical compounds in herbs. The present study aimed to improve the growth, physiological, and phytochemical characteristics of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) using different NH4+ (ammonium) to NO3̄ (nitrate) ratios (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0) under floating culture system (FCS). Results: The treatment containing 0:100 - NH4+:NO3̄ ratio showed the most remarkable values for the growth and morpho-physiological characteristics of M. officinalis. The results demonstrated that maximum biomass (105.57 g) earned by using the ratio of 0:100 and minimum at 75:25 ratio of NH4+: NO3̄. The plants treated with high nitrate ratio (0:100 - NH4+:NO3̄) showed the greatest concentration of total phenolics (60.40 mg GAE/g DW), chlorophyll a (31.32 mg/100 g DW), flavonoids (12.97 mg QUE/g DW), and carotenoids (83.06 mg/100 g DW). Using the 75:25 - NH4+:NO3̄ ratio caused the highest dry matter (DM), N and K macronutrients in the leaves. The highest antioxidant activity by both DPPH (37.39 µg AAE/mL) and FRAP (69.55 mM Fe++/g DW) methods was obtained in 75:25 - NH4+:NO3̄ treatment. The p-coumaric acid as a main abundant phenolic composition, was detected by HPLC analysis as the highest content in samples grown under 0:100 - NH4+:NO3̄ treatment. Also, the major compounds in M. officinalis essential oil were identified as geranial, neral, geranyl acetate and geraniol by GC analysis. With increasing NO3̄ application, geraniol and geranyl acetate contents were decreased. Conclusions: The findings of present study suggest that the management of NH4+ to NO3̄ ratios in nutrient solutions could contribute to improving growth, physiological and phytochemical properties of M. officinalis. The plants treated with high nitrate ratio (especially 0:100 - NH4+:NO3̄) showed the greatest effects on improving the growth and production of morpho-physiological and phytochemical compounds. By comprehensively understanding the intricate dynamics among nitrogen sources, plants, and their surroundings, researchers and practitioners can devise inventive approaches to optimize nitrogen management practices and foster sustainable agricultural frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinach (Amaranthus tricolor L.) is a highly nutritious leafy vegetable widely cultivated for its rich content of vitamins and minerals. To enhance spinach production sustainably, this study investigates the use of liquid organic fertilizer derived from maggot fermentation combined with AB mix nutrients, applied through a drip fertigation system. The study was conducted using three different concentrations: 2.5 ml/L, 5 ml/L, and 7.5 ml/L, with the goal of identifying optimal conditions for maximizing spinach growth. The research utilized a two-factorial, Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replications to evaluate the effects of these nutrient combinations on key growth parameters, including plant height, leaf number, leaf area and weight of plants. Results indicated that a concentration of 7.5 ml/L provided the most favorable growth outcomes, with a 46.5 cm increase in plant height and a biomass accumulation of 61.8 grams, representing significant improvements over control treatments. The macro-nutrient content of the maggot-derived POC met national agricultural standards, except for pH, which improved to 7.10 when combined with AB mix. These findings suggest that integrating maggot POC with AB mix offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fertilizers, promoting sustainable agricultural practices. This study contributes to developing efficient cultivation methods for spinach, addressing increasing market demands, and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers.

The study investigated the effects of cultivating Tridax procumbens in hydroponic conditions with different concentrations of copper ions, aiming to understand the physiological changes and the impact on the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The treatments consisted of a completely randomized design, with five increasing concentrations of copper (T0 = 0.235, T1 = 12.5, T2 = 25, T3 = 50, T4 = 100 µmol L−1 of Cu), under controlled conditions for 36 days. Analysis of bioactive compounds in leaves was performed by HPLC–DAD and ESI–MS. Several phenolic compounds, alkaloids, phytosterols and triterpenoids were identified, demonstrating the plant's metabolic plasticity. The highest dose of copper (100 µmol L−1) significantly promoted voacangine, the most predominant compound in the analyses. Notably, 66.7% of the metabolites that showed an increase in concentration, were phenolic compounds. Furthermore, treatments with 12.5 and 25 µmol L−1 of copper were identified as promoting the biosynthesis of phytosterols and triterpenoids. These biochemical adaptations can play a fundamental role in the survival and development of plants in environments contaminated by metals, and from this it is possible to determine cultivation techniques that maximize the biosynthesis of the compound of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, for first time, the efficiency of the yield and fruit quality of the pink tomato cultivar ‘Tomimaru Muchoo’ was studied in hydroponic cultivation with top and interlighting with LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and diffusion glass (DGlass) to cover the glasshouse roof (LED+LED+DGlass). DGlass was also tested in tomato cultivation with only top lighting by sodium lamps (HPS+DGlass). The control, which had no DGlass (HPS, high-pressure sodium), was a crop with sodium lamps from above, where the roof was covered with conventional glasshouse glass. Selected parameters of tomato plant growth and development, photosynthetic activity, and chemical composition were analysed. Tomato fruits were evaluated for their physical and chemical characteristics as well as sensory quality. LED+LED+DGlass-supplemented tomato plants had the shortest fruiting stems, a higher dry matter of leaves, higher Mg2+ ion concentration, and photosynthetic apparatus activity (PI, PSII performance index) compared with the control (HPS). More light under DGlass conditions with and without LEDs (HPS+DGlass and LED+LED+DGlass) increased the tomato leaf thickness and number of mesophyll layers. The highest tomato fruit yield was obtained in the LED+LED+DGlass combination compared with the conventional growing technology (HPS). Fruits from this combination were characterised by the highest total soluble solids (TSS), carotenoids, and ascorbic acid content and the most favourable sugar/acid ratio. In the sensory evaluation, these fruits were sweeter and less acidic than fruits from the other crop combinations. The results obtained confirm the significant influence of light quality on plant growth, development, and yield.

Root rot of hydroponically grown Welsh onion has caused considerable economic losses every year since commercial cultivation began in 1988 in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The primary pathogens, which have not been reported to form sexual structures, are Pythium spp. including Pythium clusters B2a sp., which is most prevalent, and B1d sp. and Pythium clade A sp. These pathogens infect Welsh onion roots by producing sporangia and zoospores. The objective of this study was to elucidate the inhibitory effects of low-pH solutions on root-rot pathogens of hydroponically grown Welsh onion. Naturally occurring disease was significantly lower after treatment with nutrient solutions with a pH maintained at 4.3–4.9 than with conventional unmanaged solutions (pH 5.4–6.4). In a greenhouse after inoculation of infected Welsh onion with Pythium cluster B2a sp., low-pH solutions (pH 4.0 and 4.5) significantly suppressed zoospore production and reduced the percentage of root infections compared to the conventional solution (pH 5.5). In other greenhouse inoculation tests with Pythium clusters B2a sp. and B1d sp. and Pythium clade A sp., the low-pH solution (pH 4.0) substantially decreased zoospore density and root infection compared to the conventional solution (pH 5.5). The low-pH solutions did not negatively impact crop yield in the greenhouse tests and thus can be used to suppress root rot in hydroponically grown Welsh onions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroponic cultivation is relevant in vegetable production due to the efficient use of resources, plant growth control, high yields and good quality of harvested products. This study aimed to assess the effects of magnetic and electromagnetic treatments of the nutrient solution on the hydroponic arugula production. The treatments comprised the exposition of the nutrient solution to magnetism, electromagnetism and conventional cultivation (control) monitored during four periods (7, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplanting), with four replicates for each treatment. The experiment followed a completely randomized factorial design. The magnetic treatment led to gains in plant growth and yield, in addition to reducing the presence of algae in roots, as well as increasing the concentrations of magnesium, manganese and iron in the development of the arugula crop under hydroponic cultivation, but with no direct effect on plant growth.

[Objective] Plants in the Vallisneria genus have similar external morphologies, with linear or strap-shaped leaves, making it difficult to identify species in fields. Stamen numbers of the male flowers are one of the distinguishing characteristics of species in Vallisneria Linn. The male flowers of Vallisneria species are small, measuring only 1.5 mm. However, identifying the number of stamens in male flowers by manual dissection and observation methods can be challenging. [Methods] This study utilized a hydroponic pre-culture method with male plants and male flower primordia of Vallisneria to obtain naturally opened male flowers. Anatomical observations of the male flowers, fruits, and seeds of three Vallisneria species were conducted using anatomical microscopes. [Results] Microscopic observations revealed that there was one stamen in male flowers of V. natans. The fruits were cylindrical in shape with a smooth surface, and the seeds were wingless with longitudinal stripes. In V. spinulosa, there were two stamens in male flowers. The fruits were triangular in shape with spines along the edges, and the seeds had wings. In V. denseserrulata, there were two stamens in male flowers. The fruits were cylindrical with three edges and smooth surface, and the seeds were wingless. [Conclusion] V. denseserrulata, V. spinulosa, V. longipedunculata, and V. anhuiensis were reported as new distribution records of Vallisneria Linn. in Anhui Province, China, where V. longipedunculata and V. anhuiensis are new species found in Anhui.

• Rice seedling suffered more inhibition than wheat and corn under biochar treatments. • Colloidal biochar can attach to root surface and affect nutrient absorption. • Biochar nanoparticles were only found in rice root cell. In recent years, biochar has attracted considerable attention for soil quality improvement and carbon sequestration due to its unique physicochemical properties. However, the mechanism by which biochar application negatively affects the growth of crop seedlings has not been fully investigated. In this study, a hydroponic experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of rice, wheat, and corn seedlings to biochar application (CK, 0 g/L; BC1, 0.5 g/L; and BC2, 1.0 g/L). Compared with the CK treatment, the BC1 and BC2 treatments decreased the fresh shoot and root weights of rice and corn seedlings (P < 0.05), but there was no significant effect on wheat seedlings (P > 0.05). For the contents of nutrient elements in seedlings, both BC1 and BC2 treatments hindered the roots from absorbing Fe and Cu and increased the uptake of Ca and Mn. Compared with the CK treatment, the translocation factor (TF) values of Ca, Mn, and Zn were significantly decreased especially in rice seedlings (35.3%-36.8%, 68.7%-76.5%, and 29.8%-22.0%, respectively) under the BC1 and BC2 treatments, while only Mn was significantly decreased in wheat and corn seedlings (P < 0.05). Transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis of root cross-sections showed that nano-sized biochar particles (10∼23 nm) were found in the root cells under BC2 treatment conditions. Our findings reveal that a large amount of biochar application can reduce nutrient absorption and translocation, and hinder rice, wheat, and corn seedlings, particularly rice seedling, in hydroponic system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agricultural Research in the Tropics / Pesquisa Agropecuária Tropical is the property of Pesquisa Agropecuaria Tropical and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background Light spectra have been demonstrated to result in different levels of comfort or stress, which affect plant growth and the availability of health-promoting compounds in ways that sometimes contradict one another. To determine the optimal light conditions, it is necessary to weigh the vegetable’s mass against the amount of nutrients it contains, as vegetables tend to grow poorly in environments where nutrient synthesis is optimal. This study investigates the effects of varying light conditions on the growth of red lettuce and its occurring nutrients in terms of productivities, which were determined by multiplying the total weight of the harvested vegetables by their nutrient content, particularly phenolics. Three different light-emitting diode (LED) spectral mixes, including blue, green, and red, which were all supplemented by white, denoted as BW, GW, and RW, respectively, as well as the standard white as the control, were equipped in grow tents with soilless cultivation systems for such purposes. Results Results demonstrated that the biomass and fiber content did not differ substantially across treatments. This could be due to the use of a modest amount of broad-spectrum white LEDs, which could help retain the lettuce’s core qualities. However, the concentrations of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity in lettuce grown with the BW treatment were the highest (1.3 and 1.4-fold higher than those obtained from the control, respectively), with chlorogenic acid accumulation (8.4 ± 1.5 mg g− 1 DW) being particularly notable. Meanwhile, the study observed a high glutathione reductase (GR) activity in the plant achieved from the RW treatment, which in this study was deemed the poorest treatment in terms of phenolics accumulation. Conclusion In this study, the BW treatment provided the most efficient mixed light spectrum to stimulate phenolics productivity in red lettuce without a significant detrimental effect on other key properties.

Hydroponic cultivation of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) is important, and high tomato production depends on the use of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. We had developed a microbial fertilizer (MF), which is mainly composed of nitrate. To investigate the effect of MF on plant growth, hydroponic tomato was grown with MF or commercial inorganic fertilizer (IF), and the microbiomes of the rhizosphere and the liquid phase were analyzed by confocal microscopy and high-throughput sequencing. Plant biomass and biofilm formation were increased by growth in MF compared to IF. The microbial community structures of tomato roots and hydroponic water differed between the two conditions, and three operational taxonomic units (OTUs) dominated in plants grown with MF. The three OTUs were related to Rudaea spp., Chitinophaga spp., and Stenotrophobacter terrae, which are reported to be disease-suppressive epiphytic or endophytic microbes of plant roots. Because these three OTUs also predominated in the MF itself, they were likely provided to the rhizosphere or endophytic environments of tomato roots via hydroponic water. Key points: • Microbial fertilizer for hydroponic growth enhanced biofilm formation on tomato root. • Microbial fertilizer contains tomato-root epiphytic or endophytic microbes. • Microbial fertilizer provided beneficial microbes to the rhizosphere and endophytic environments of tomato roots via hydroponic water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics enter the soil with compost prepared from livestock manures and other sources. There is concern that they may influence plant growth and cause antibiotic resistance in soil and plant endospheric microbiomes. In the present work, lettuce plants were cultivated in soil and hydroponics spiked with oxytetracycline (0, 15, and 300 mg × kg−1 and 0, 15, and 50 mg × L–1, respectively) during a 28-day greenhouse experiment. It was revealed that the antibiotic reduced the chlorophyll content, the biomass, and the length of the roots and stems by 1.4–4.7, 1.8–39, 2.5–3.2, and 1.8–6.3 times in soil and in hydroponics. The copy numbers of the tet(A) and tet(X) genes were revealed to be 4.51 × 103–1.58 × 105 and 8.36 × 106–1.07 × 108 copies × g–1, respectively, suggesting the potential migration of these genes from soil/hydroponics to plant roots and leaves. According to a non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of the 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data, endospheric bacterial communities were similar in leaves and roots independent of the growing substrate and antibiotic concentration. While soil bacterial communities were unaffected by the presence of antibiotics, hydroponic communities exhibited dependency, likely attributable to the absence of the mitigating effect of soil particle absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to an increase in interest towards functional and health-related foods, Panax ginseng sprout has been in the spotlight since it contains a significant amount of saponins which have anti-cancer, -stress, and -diabetic effects. To increase the amount of production as well as decrease the cultivation period, sprouted ginseng is being studied to ascertain its optimal cultivation environment in hydroponics. Although there are studies on functional components, there is a lack of research on early disease prediction along with productivity improvement. In this study, the ginseng sprouts were cultivated in four different hydroponic conditions: control treatment, hydrogen-mineral treatment, Bioblock treatment, and highly concentrated nitrogen treatment. Physical properties were measured, and environmental data were acquired using sensors. Using three algorithms (artificial neural networks, support vector machines, random forest) for germination and rottenness classification, and leaf number and length of stem prediction models, we propose a hierarchical machine learning model that predicts the growth outcome of ginseng sprouts after a week. Based on the results, a regression model predicts the number of leaves and stem length during the growth process. The results of the classifier models showed an F1-score of germination classification of about 99% every week. The rottenness classification model showed an increase from an average of 83.5% to 98.9%. Predicted leaf numbers for week 1 showed an average nRMSE value of 0.27, which decreased by about 33% by week 3. The results for predicting stem length showed a higher performance compared to the regression model for predicting leaf number. These results showed that the proposed hierarchical machine learning algorithm can predict germination and rottenness in ginseng sprout using physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the domain of environmental science, pollutants of nanoscale plastic dimensions are acknowledged as subjects of intricate significance. Such entities, though minuscule, present formidable challenges to ecological systems and human health. The diminutive dimensions of these contaminants render their detection arduous, thus demanding the inception of avant-garde methodologies. The present manuscript postulates the employment of the tetraphenylethylene functional group with a fused xanthene (TPEF), a distinguished fluorophore, as an exemplary system for the discernment of nanoplastic particulates. The synthesis and characterization of TPEF have been exhaustively elucidated, revealing its paramount fluorescence attributes and inherent affinity for interaction with nanoplastics. When subjected to comparison with TPEF, nanoplastics are observed to manifest a more pronounced fluorescent luminescence than when associated with the conventional Nile Red (NR). Particularly, the TPEF has shown exceptional affinity for polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics. Further, the resilience of nanoplastics within the hypocotyl epidermis of soybeans, as well as their persistence in mung bean sprouts subsequent to rigorous rinsing protocols, has been meticulously examined. Additionally, this investigation furnishes empirical data signifying the existence of nano-dimensional plastic contaminants within HeLa cellular structures. The urgency of addressing the environmental ramifications engendered by these diminutive yet potent plastic constituents is emphatically highlighted in this manuscript. TPEF paves the way for prospective explorations, with the aspiration of devising efficacious mitigation strategies. Such strategies might encompass delineating the trajectories undertaken by nanoplastics within trophic networks or their ingress into human cellular architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective is to analyze the economic feasibility of implementing a greenhouse in a hydroponics production system in substrate (sand) on a small family farm as an alternative to hydroponic cultivation using nutrient film technique (NFT). This case study was carried out in the Municipality of Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. The location was specifically selected because of the importance of agricultural activities and the need for productive diversification related to the context of the small rural producer. As a criterion for assessing economic viability, the techniques of net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), modified internal rate of return (MIRR), cost–benefit (C/B), profitability index (PI), equivalent annual value (EAV) and discounted payback (DP) were under consideration. A minimum attractiveness rate adjusted to the risk of emerging countries of 10.25% per year was considered. The viability of the project was verified, even when exposed to risk and uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing population and development of agricultural and industrial activities have put excessive pressure on freshwater resources. As a result, wastewater treatment has received growing attention in recent years. It seems more necessary in arid and semi-arid regions such as Iran, where we face climate change and a lack of rainfall (Mohammadi Moghadam et al., 2015; Nikmanesh et al., 2018). However, wastewater is one of the most critical environmental pollutants. If the microbial quality of the effluent and its hygienic aspects are not taken into account, its reuse poses a severe risk to human health and the environment (Abedi-Koupai et al., 2021). Therefore, the primary purpose of disinfection effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants is to reduce the concentration of water-borne pathogens to less than the amount of infectious. Disinfection is done by physical and chemical methods. In most parts of the world, chlorine is the premier option for disinfecting effluents. That said, the adverse effects of chlorine effluent disinfection on humans and the environment have led to the possibility of using phytoremediation to improve the biological properties of water (Keddy, 2010). The Vetiver (VS) system for wastewater treatment is an innovative phytoremediation technology that has fantastic potential. This plant can grow in saline environments (Sanicola et al., 2019). Moreover, it can significantly improve the water quality parameters (Abedi-Koupai et al., 2021). Therefore, this study aims to investigate the possibility of using Vetiver in urban wastewater hydroponically to evaluate its efficiency in removing and refining pathogens, especially gastrointestinal coliforms. Our purpose is to use the treated water in the agriculture sector for irrigation.

Aquaponics is an innovative compound production system composed of recirculating aquaculture and hydroponic cultivation, which has the characteristics of high resource utilization rate, no chemical fertilizers and antibiotics, low consumption, high efficiency and sustainability. It is considered as a modern agricultural farming system of ecological protection. Although aquaponics system has developed rapidly in recent years and has been widely promoted and applied, it still lacks systematic cognition and holistic analysis. This paper summarized the technological development of aquaponics system, the main research contents, research progress and development trend at home and abroad. Combined with the development status of aquaponics system, it was predicted that the future aquaponics system construction would tend to be decoupled and ecological, the layout would move toward urbanization and three- dimensional, the large-scale intelligent and commercial implementation would be carried out, and the trend would be diversified and integrated innovation. Meanwhile, relevant improvement suggestions were put forward, which aimed to provide scientific ideas for the efficient construction and sustainable development of aquaponics complex system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Today, Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, which has high economic value, is cultivated for the purpose of using the shoot as well as the root, which is better known as the medicinal properties. However, when ginseng is grown outdoors, the quantity and quality of the crop are negatively affected by the climatic environment. In this study, we compared and analyzed the physiological and growth responses of P. ginseng under different LED spectra in a plant factory to achieve continuous and increased productivity. Red and yellow light effectively increased shoot biomass, whereas white light effectively increased root biomass. Furthermore, the intercellular CO2 partial pressure was identified as the most significant physiological variable contributing to root production. Research on light spectra in controlled environments can provide insights into increasing P. ginseng production and contribute to the understanding of the physiological and growth responses of shade-tolerant plants such as P. ginseng. To identify effective light spectra for increasing the productivity of Panax ginseng, we conducted experiments in a controlled environment using a hydroponic cultivation system in a plant factory. We investigated the effect of single LEDs (red, blue, and yellow) and mixed LEDs (red + blue and red + blue + white). The relationships between four light spectra (red, blue, yellow, and white) and physiological responses (net photosynthetic rate, stomata conductance, transpiration rate, and intercellular CO2 partial pressure), as well as growth responses (shoot and root biomass), were analyzed using multivariate statistical analysis. Among the four physiological response variables, shoot biomass was not increased by any pathway, and root biomass was increased only by the intercellular CO2 partial pressure. Red and yellow light increased shoot biomass, whereas white light promoted an increase in the net photosynthetic rate and enhanced root biomass. In contrast, blue light was less effective than the other light spectra in increasing both shoot and root biomass. Therefore, red and yellow light are the most effective light spectra for increasing shoot biomass and white light is effective for increasing root biomass in a plant factory that uses artificial LED lighting. Furthermore, the intercellular CO2 partial pressure is an important physiological variable for increasing the root biomass of P. ginseng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Light spectra have been demonstrated to result in different levels of comfort or stress, which affect plant growth and the availability of health-promoting compounds in ways that sometimes contradict one another. To determine the optimal light conditions, it is necessary to weigh the vegetable's mass against the amount of nutrients it contains, as vegetables tend to grow poorly in environments where nutrient synthesis is optimal. This study investigates the effects of varying light conditions on the growth of red lettuce and its occurring nutrients in terms of productivities, which were determined by multiplying the total weight of the harvested vegetables by their nutrient content, particularly phenolics. Three different light-emitting diode (LED) spectral mixes, including blue, green, and red, which were all supplemented by white, denoted as BW, GW, and RW, respectively, as well as the standard white as the control, were equipped in grow tents with soilless cultivation systems for such purposes. Results: Results demonstrated that the biomass and fiber content did not differ substantially across treatments. This could be due to the use of a modest amount of broad-spectrum white LEDs, which could help retain the lettuce's core qualities. However, the concentrations of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity in lettuce grown with the BW treatment were the highest (1.3 and 1.4-fold higher than those obtained from the control, respectively), with chlorogenic acid accumulation (8.4 ± 1.5 mg g− 1 DW) being particularly notable. Meanwhile, the study observed a high glutathione reductase (GR) activity in the plant achieved from the RW treatment, which in this study was deemed the poorest treatment in terms of phenolics accumulation. Conclusion: In this study, the BW treatment provided the most efficient mixed light spectrum to stimulate phenolics productivity in red lettuce without a significant detrimental effect on other key properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydroponic system is a closed and efficient system from the economic, technical and environmental point of view, considerably reducing stress, fertility and soil depletion, improving food quality and therefore the quality of life of Peruvians. The study was conducted at the Experimental Center (INVERGEP SAC), located in the Boza community in Huaral, Lima, Peru. The objective was to produce lettuce (Lactuca sativa) using the hydroponic system, applying techniques of the NFT model, and to promote new alternatives to generate intermediate technology production chains such as hydroponic crops for rural and urban communities. Using a thermohygrometer, the phenological process was carried out in the hatching stage and in the harvesting stage, obtaining the thermal summation. Data were obtained from the daily register in reference values of the experimental module to evaluate in the hatching cover and then in the harvest phase: first in the seedling stage GDD = 11. 2° C; GDA = 71. 8° C, during the vegetative period; GDD = 11.2°C; GDA = 289.76 C. The research work was carried out during one month and a half; from September 1 to October 6, 2023. The daily accumulated temperature index, during the whole vegetative period, shows that the sector of the northern Lima locality is suitable for the installation of hydroponic cultivation because it has minimum temperatures from 11°C to 19°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stress conditions, such as salinity, affect plant development and productivity and threaten the sustainability of agricultural production. Salt has been proven to accumulate in soil and water over time as a result of various anthropogenic activities and climatic changes. Species of the genus Salicornia thrive in the most saline environments and have a wide climatic tolerance. They can be found in a variety of subtropical, oceanic, and continental environments. This study aims to establish Salicornia europaea as a novel source of plant-based compounds that can grow in areas unsuitable for other crops. The morphological and compositional changes in the tissues of S. europaea in different consecutive developmental stages have not been investigated so far. Therefore, a comprehensive study of changes during the lifecycle of S. europaea was carried out, following changes in the plant's composition, including biomass yield, and soluble and insoluble compounds. For this, plants were cultivated in hydroponics for 15 weeks and harvested weekly to analyze biomass production, to determine soluble and insoluble compounds, protein content, and polyphenols. According to the results, glucan, xylan, and lignin increase with plant age, while water extractives decrease. Protein content is higher in young plants, while flavonoid content depends on the phenological stage, decreasing in the early flowering stage and then increasing as plants enter early senescence. Our results can aid in finding the optimal harvesting stage of S. europaea, depending on the component of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the integration of artificial intelligence with sensors and devices utilized by Internet of Things technology, the interest in automation systems has increased. One of the common features of both agriculture and artificial intelligence is recommendation systems that increase yield by identifying nutrient deficiencies in plants, consuming resources correctly, reducing damage to the environment and preventing economic losses. The biggest shortcomings in these studies are the scarcity of data and the lack of diversity. This experiment aimed to identify nutrient deficiencies in basil plants cultivated in a hydroponic system. Basil plants were grown by applying a complete nutrient solution as control and non-added nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). Then, photos were taken to determine N, P and K deficiencies in basil and control plants. After a new dataset was created for the basil plant, pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN) models were used for the classification problem. DenseNet201, ResNet101V2, MobileNet and VGG16 pretrained models were used to classify N, P and K deficiencies; then, accuracy values were examined. Additionally, heat maps of images that were obtained using the Grad-CAM were analyzed in the study. The highest accuracy was achieved with the VGG16 model, and it was observed in the heat map that VGG16 focuses on the symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroponics refers to a modern set of agricultural techniques that do not require the use of natural soil for plant germination and development. These types of crops use artificial irrigation systems that, together with fuzzy control methods, allow plants to be provided with the exact amount of nutrients for optimal growth. The diffuse control begins with the sensorization of the agricultural variables that intervene in the hydroponic ecosystem, such as the environmental temperature, electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution and the temperature, humidity, and pH of the substrate. Based on this knowledge, these variables can be controlled to be within the ranges required for optimal plant growth, reducing the risk of a negative impact on the crop. This research takes, as a case study, the application of fuzzy control methods to hydroponic strawberry crops (Fragaria vesca). It is shown that, under this scheme, a greater foliage of the plants and a larger size of the fruits are obtained in comparison with natural cultivation systems in which irrigation and fertilization are carried out by default, without considering the alterations in the aforementioned variables. It is concluded that the combination of modern agricultural techniques such as hydroponics and diffuse control allow us to improve the quality of the crops and the optimization of the required resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoremediation is one of the innovative, economical as well as eco-friendly desalination methods. The current study was aimed at investigating the amount of uptake and removal of some contaminants and nutrients from saline waters by vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L. Roberty). This research was performed as multi-factorial in a completely randomized design including three different levels of saline effluent (1, 10 and 14 dS/m) and two planting densities (10 and 20 vetiver plants) with three replications. The vetiver grass was cultivated in 220-liter tanks with a cross-section of 0.23 square meters located in the educational farm at Isfahan University of Technology (IUT), Isfahan, Iran. Moreover, parameters changes including electrical conductivity (EC), cations (Ca, Mg and Na) as well as nutrients (N, P, and K) were measured with a residence time of 3, 7, and 14 days. The obtained results indicate that the vetiver grass can reduce EC (14-15.88%), cations (Ca (32.94-41.67%), Mg (29.51-57.14%), and Na (5.59-14.36%) as well as nutrients N (31-44.03%), P (44.15-51.54%), and K (24.37-56.32%)) from different salinity levels during 14 days. Furthermore, there is no significant difference between 10 and 20 vetiver plants in terms of uptake of contaminants due to high plant growth.

Nowadays, one of the appropriate ways for self-sufficiency and food security of our country is the development and deployment of hydroponic greenhouses. This study is in applied form and in terms of method, it is descriptive-analytical. Also using Cochran's formula, 260 employers and hydroponic farm workers as well as villagers were selected as a sample population and questioned and finally analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Friedman test, gamma correlation analysis matrix and factor analysis model in SPSS software environment. The results of the Friedman Test show that the high initial cost of hydroponics and lack of skills of farmers are considered the most serious obstacles. Also, the results of gamma correlation coefficient matrix analysis indicate that costly hydroponics with the inability of cultivation for many crops, lack of skills of farmers’ significant relationship up to 95% confidence level. The results of factor analysis also classified the obstacles to hydroponics in rural areas into four main reasons. Among these, institutional/administrative obstacles with 28.16% of eigenvalue variance are considered as the most important reason and economic and social obstacles, infrastructural barriers, and environmental barriers are in the next positions, respectively. In addition, the studied components are a total of 75.91% of obstacles to hydroponics in rural areas and about 24.9% of the remaining are about factors that were not investigated in this study.

Due to an increase in interest towards functional and health-related foods, Panax ginseng sprout has been in the spotlight since it contains a significant amount of saponins which have anti-cancer, -stress, and -diabetic effects. To increase the amount of production as well as decrease the cultivation period, sprouted ginseng is being studied to ascertain its optimal cultivation environment in hydroponics. Although there are studies on functional components, there is a lack of research on early disease prediction along with productivity improvement. In this study, the ginseng sprouts were cultivated in four different hydroponic conditions: control treatment, hydrogen-mineral treatment, Bioblock treatment, and highly concentrated nitrogen treatment. Physical properties were measured, and environmental data were acquired using sensors. Using three algorithms (artificial neural networks, support vector machines, random forest) for germination and rottenness classification, and leaf number and length of stem prediction models, we propose a hierarchical machine learning model that predicts the growth outcome of ginseng sprouts after a week. Based on the results, a regression model predicts the number of leaves and stem length during the growth process. The results of the classifier models showed an F1-score of germination classification of about 99% every week. The rottenness classification model showed an increase from an average of 83.5% to 98.9%. Predicted leaf numbers for week 1 showed an average nRMSE value of 0.27, which decreased by about 33% by week 3. The results for predicting stem length showed a higher performance compared to the regression model for predicting leaf number. These results showed that the proposed hierarchical machine learning algorithm can predict germination and rottenness in ginseng sprout using physical properties.

Antibiotics enter the soil with compost prepared from livestock manures and other sources. There is concern that they may influence plant growth and cause antibiotic resistance in soil and plant endospheric microbiomes. In the present work, lettuce plants were cultivated in soil and hydroponics spiked with oxytetracycline (0, 15, and 300 mg × kg−1 and 0, 15, and 50 mg × L–1, respectively) during a 28-day greenhouse experiment. It was revealed that the antibiotic reduced the chlorophyll content, the biomass, and the length of the roots and stems by 1.4–4.7, 1.8–39, 2.5–3.2, and 1.8–6.3 times in soil and in hydroponics. The copy numbers of the tet(A) and tet(X) genes were revealed to be 4.51 × 103–1.58 × 105 and 8.36 × 106–1.07 × 108 copies × g–1, respectively, suggesting the potential migration of these genes from soil/hydroponics to plant roots and leaves. According to a non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of the 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data, endospheric bacterial communities were similar in leaves and roots independent of the growing substrate and antibiotic concentration. While soil bacterial communities were unaffected by the presence of antibiotics, hydroponic communities exhibited dependency, likely attributable to the absence of the mitigating effect of soil particle absorption.

Soilless cultivation of saffron (Crocus sativus) in a controlled environment represents an interesting alternative to field cultivation, in order to obtain a standardized high-quality product and to optimize yields. In particular, pharma-grade saffron is fundamental for therapeutic applications of this spice, whose efficacy has been demonstrated in the treatment of macular diseases, such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). In this work, a hydroponic cultivation system was developed, specifically designed to meet the needs of C. sativus plant. Various cultivation recipes, different in spectrum and intensity of lighting, temperature, photoperiod and irrigation, have been adopted to study their effect on saffron production. The experimentation involved the cultivation of corms from two subsequent farm years, to identify and validate the optimal conditions, both in terms of quantitative yield and as accumulation of bioactive metabolites, with particular reference to crocins and picrocrocin, which define the 'pharma-grade' quality of saffron. Through HPLC analysis and chromatography it was possible to identify the cultivation parameters suitable for the production of saffron with neuroprotective properties, evaluated by comparison with an ISO standard and the REPRON® procedure. Furthermore, the biochemical characterization was completed through NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry analyses of saffron extracts. The whole experimental framework allowed to establish an optimized protocol to produce pharma-grade saffron, allowing up to 3.2 g/m2 harvest (i.e., more than three times higher than field production in optimal conditions), which meets the standards of composition for the therapy of AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern agriculture requires non-destructive methods for real-time monitoring of plant physiological status. An innovative approach using Raman spectroscopy is presented to evaluate sugar presence in two hydroponic lettuce varieties (Parris Island and Parris Starfighter) grown under NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) system. We monitored plants for three months from seedling to maturity. Measurements were performed on fresh leaves using a Raman spectrometer, successfully detecting fructose presence through its characteristic band at 625.5 cm-1. Statistical analysis confirmed measurement reproducibility and method reliability. This non-destructive analytical approach provides a valuable tool for real-time monitoring of metabolite production in hydroponic systems, contributing to precision agriculture and crop optimization. The established methodology can potentially be extended to other metabolites of interest and automated for continuous monitoring in commercial hydroponic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community service is an activity that realizes and improves the quality of community knowledge in helping the problems experienced by the community in the community. Through the Thematic Real Work Lecture (KKNT) program based on community service, this activity is to increase students' sense of solidarity with the existing conditions of the community. The use of land with hydroponic cultivation is an alternative that can be done by utilizing minimal yard land and being able to use used goods. Farming with hydroponics is very environmentally friendly in addition to not using pesticides, also the production can be used alone or as an economic source of household income. In addition, the outputs obtainedare n: (1) Improvement of superior quality of resources; (2) improving household economic resources; (3) Encourage the progress of the village. On the other hand, to ensure the discipline and participation of KKNT student participants and the community, by seeing the success in the form of outputs produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stress conditions, such as salinity, affect plant development and productivity and threaten the sustainability of agricultural production. Salt has been proven to accumulate in soil and water over time as a result of various anthropogenic activities and climatic changes. Species of the genus Salicornia thrive in the most saline environments and have a wide climatic tolerance. They can be found in a variety of subtropical, oceanic, and continental environments. This study aims to establish Salicornia europaea as a novel source of plant-based compounds that can grow in areas unsuitable for other crops. The morphological and compositional changes in the tissues of S. europaea in different consecutive developmental stages have not been investigated so far. Therefore, a comprehensive study of changes during the lifecycle of S. europaea was carried out, following changes in the plant’s composition, including biomass yield, and soluble and insoluble compounds. For this, plants were cultivated in hydroponics for 15 weeks and harvested weekly to analyze biomass production, to determine soluble and insoluble compounds, protein content, and polyphenols. According to the results, glucan, xylan, and lignin increase with plant age, while water extractives decrease. Protein content is higher in young plants, while flavonoid content depends on the phenological stage, decreasing in the early flowering stage and then increasing as plants enter early senescence. Our results can aid in finding the optimal harvesting stage of S. europaea, depending on the component of interest.

Salinity is one of the oldest and most serious environmental problems in the world. The increasingly widespread salinization of soils and water resources represents a growing threat to agriculture around the world. A strategy to cope with this problem is to cultivate salt-tolerant crops and, therefore, it is necessary to identify plant species that are naturally adapted to high-salinity conditions. In this review, we focus our attention on some plant species that can be considered among the most representative halophytes of the Mediterranean region; they can be potential resources, such as new or relatively new vegetable crops, to produce raw or minimally processed (or ready-to-eat) products, considering their nutritional properties and nutraceuticals. The main biological and agronomic characteristics of these species and the potential health risks due to mycotoxigenic fungi have been analyzed and summarized in a dedicated section. The objective of this review is to illustrate the main biological and agronomical characteristics of the most common halophytic species in the Mediterranean area, which could expand the range of leafy vegetables on the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root exudates from Chinese celery (Apium graveolens) and Chinese cabbage (pak choi, Brassica chinensis) plants treated by prometryn, an herbicide, were qualitatively and quantitatively investigated and compared under hydroponic cultivation. Prometryn and its metabolites released into the nutrient solution were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatograph coupled with orbitrap mass spectrometer to investigate whether this xylem-mobile herbicide is exuded from the roots. The results showed that celery and pak choi had different root exudation profiles. Celery metabolized prometryn to prometryn sulfoxide and released both compounds from the roots. In contrast, pak choi barely metabolized or actively released prometryn from the roots. The concentration of prometryn sulfoxide released from celery after 96 hr was 21 µg/L, which was nearly one-third that of released prometryn. Our results indicate that the root exudation and translocation of xylem-mobile herbicides could be significant in plants and are highly species dependent compared with phloem-mobile herbicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, one of the appropriate ways for self-sufficiency and food security of our country is the development and deployment of hydroponic greenhouses. This study is in applied form and in terms of method, it is descriptive-analytical. Also using Cochran's formula, 260 employers and hydroponic farm workers as well as villagers were selected as a sample population and questioned and finally analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Friedman test, gamma correlation analysis matrix and factor analysis model in SPSS software environment. The results of the Friedman Test show that the high initial cost of hydroponics and lack of skills of farmers are considered the most serious obstacles. Also, the results of gamma correlation coefficient matrix analysis indicate that costly hydroponics with the inability of cul- tivation for many crops, lack of skills of farmers' significant relationship up to 95% confidence level. The results of factor analysis also classified the obstacles to hydroponics in rural areas into four main reasons. Among these, institutional/administrative obstacles with 28.16% of eigenvalue variance are considered as the most important reason and economic and social obstacles, infrastructural barriers, and environmental barriers are in the next positions, respectively. In addition, the studied components are a total of 75.91% of obstacles to hydroponics in rural areas and about 24.9% of the remaining are about factors that were not investigated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solanum chacoense Bitt. (chc) is a short-day adapted wild diploid (2n = 2x = 24) species, relative of the commercial potato S. tuberosum L. (tbr), that has demonstrated higher below-ground biomass when cultivated under limited nitrogen (N) supply, suggesting it possesses greater potential for N recovery by increasing root length density (RLD). The objectives of this study were to compare screening methodologies for evaluating RLD responses of chc genotypes and tbr cultivars under limited N supply for the identification of superior rooting chc genotypes. Seventeen genotypes of chc and three commercial tbr varieties were exposed to 0.5 and 1.0 N rates across three root screening methodologies: in vitro, hydroponic, and field evaluated at tuber initiation and plant maturity stages. Although the development of a reliable high throughput root screening system was unachievable due to differences in environment and root sampling protocols across methodologies, there were significant positive correlations amongst RLD for a majority of methods in both chc and tbr. This suggests that RLD can be utilized for evaluating both Solanum species and genotypes within species and environments. RLD for chc 0048-34 and 0053-7 genotypes were significantly higher than tbr cultivars in all tested methods indicating that chc possesses the potential for increasing N recovery in future breeding with tbr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax ginseng CA Meyer has a variety of biological effects, including antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. Ginseng requires long-term cultivation, but this can be shortened using hydroponic systems to facilitate the commercial development of ginseng as a functional food. However, the characteristics of short-term-cultured (< 30 days) hydroponic ginseng (sHCG) are unclear. We investigated the characteristics of 21-day-cultured sHCG compared 5-year-old normally cultured ginseng. The free radical-scavenging activity and total ginsenoside and phenolic contents were significantly higher in sHCG than in normally cultured ginseng. Fifteen ginsenosides were detected in sHCG, and the concentrations of most were higher in shoots than roots. These findings suggest that 21-day-cultured sHCG, due to its enhanced antioxidant activity and higher concentrations of total phenolics and ginsenosides (including Rd and Re), has potential as a functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]