EC Sensitivity of Hydroponically-Grown Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) Types in Terms of Nitrate Accumulation

Noémi Kappel, Ildikó Fruzsina Boros, Francia Seconde Ravelombola and László Sipos
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Noémi Kappel: Department of Vegetable and Mushroom Growing, Institute of Horticultural Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Villányi út 29-43, 1118 Budapest, Hungary
Ildikó Fruzsina Boros: Department of Vegetable and Mushroom Growing, Institute of Horticultural Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Villányi út 29-43, 1118 Budapest, Hungary
Francia Seconde Ravelombola: Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
László Sipos: Department of Postharvest, Supply Chain, Commerce and Sensory Science, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Villányi út 29-43, 1118 Budapest, Hungary

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: The goal of this research was to investigate the effect of electrical conductivity (EC) levels of the nutrient solution on the fresh weight, chlorophyll, and nitrate content of hydroponic-system-grown lettuce. The selected cultivars are the most representative commercial varieties grown for European markets. Seven cultivars (‘Sintia,’ ‘Limeira,’ ‘Corentine,’ ‘Cencibel,’ ‘Kiber,’ ‘Attiraï,’ and ‘Rouxaï’) of three Lactuca sativa L. types’ (butterhead, loose leaf, and oak leaf) were grown in a phytotron in rockwool, meanwhile the EC level of the nutrient solutions were different: normal (<1.3 dS/m) and high (10 dS/m). The plants in the saline condition had a lower yield but elevated chlorophyll content and nitrate level, although the ‘Limeira’ and ‘Cencibel’ cultivars had reduced nitrate levels. The results and the special characteristic of the lollo-type cultivars showed that the nitrate level could be very different due to salinity (‘Limeira’ had the lowest (684 µg/g fresh weight (FW)) and ‘Cencibel’ had the highest (4396 µg/g FW)). There was a moderately strong negative correlation (−0.542) in the reverse ratio among the chlorophyll and nitrate contents in plants treated with a normal EC value, while this relationship was not shown in the saline condition. Under the saline condition, cultivars acted differently, and all examined cultivars stayed under the permitted total nitrate level (5000 µg/g FW).

Keywords: butterhead; loose leaf; oak leaf; lettuce; EC; nitrate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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