JUSTIFICATION OF THE LETTUCE NUTRITION SYSTEM FOR HYDROPONIC CONDITIONS

Abstract

In recent years, hydroponic crop production has grown significantly worldwide, as it allows for more efficient use of water and fertilizers, as well as better control of climate and pest factors. Hydroponics is, first of all, water. After all, hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. But a full-fledged crop cannot be grown only on water, therefore one of the most important determining factors of the yield and quality of agricultural crops is the nutrient solution. Plant nutrients used in hydroponics are dissolved in water and are mainly in inorganic and ionic forms. All the necessary elements for plant growth are supplied by various chemical combinations, and creating a nutrient solution that provides a favorable ratio of ions for plant growth and development is considered an important step in growing crops in hydroponic systems. Precociousness of lettuce plants and their small area requires increased feeding intensity. Currently, 17 elements are considered essential for most plants – carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, boron, chlorine and nickel. Other elements such as sodium, silicon, vanadium, selenium, cobalt, aluminum and iodine can stimulate growth or can compensate for the toxic effects of other elements. However, only nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur are considered the most basic in the nutrient solution, and they are supplemented with trace elements. In hydroponics, all the nutrients are in a balanced ratio that goes directly to the plants. In addition, there are other parameters that can change the availability of nutrients for plants (pH level of the nutrient solution, electrical conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen level). We have experimentally investigated and substantiated the features of the lettuce nutrition system for hydroponic conditions.