NUTRIENT CONCENTRATION IN HYDROPONIC LETTUCE CULTURE TREATED WITH LOW FREQUENCY ELECTRICAL PULSES

Abstract

Consumers of leafy vegetables have become increasingly demanding, with high-quality lettuce being sought in adequate quantities throughout the year. The hydroponic system offers the advantage of controlling the variables involved in plant development and nutrition. Recent studies suggest that exposing irrigation water to low-frequency electrical pulses may have positive effects on productivity, potentially altering nutrient absorption. However, more detailed studies are needed to confirm these effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutrient concentration in hydroponic lettuce grown in a greenhouse via an antiscaling electronic system. The study employed a completely randomized design of 3 × 2, with four replications. Two factors were assessed: the frequency of exposure of the nutrient solution to the antiscaling electronic system (constant, intermittent, and no use) and two concentrations of nutrient solution over two production cycles. The results indicated that the constant use of low-frequency electric pulses did not result in significant advantages in terms of nutrient absorption over conventional hydroponic lettuce production. However, intermittent application of these electric pulses in solution 80 resulted in differences in the absorption of nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and zinc (Zn) by the crop.