Comparative study of growing media for hydroponically grown Spinach (Spinacia oleracea).

14.03.2021

Introduction

 Spinach is one of the most desirable dark green leafy vegetables because it is high in beta carotene (pro vitamin A) and folate, and is also a good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, phosphorous, sodium and potassium. It is high in the carotenoid lutein which has been shown to prevent age related macular degeneration. Spinach is a good source of antioxidants and has one of the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) values of any vegetable.

Spinach grows best in slightly acid to slightly basic soil (pH 6-7.5), but some very successful production occurs on soils above 8.0. The crop has a shallow root system and requires good levels of soil NPK. It also responds well to good levels of soil moisture but does not tolerate excess soil moisture.
The term Hydroponics was derived from the Greek words hydro’ means water and ponos’ means labour and literally means water work. The word hydroponics was coined by Professor William Gericke in the early 1930s; describe the growing of plants with their roots suspended in water containing mineral nutrients. Hydroponics is a technique of growing plants in nutrient solutions with or without the use of an inert medium such as gravel, vermiculite, rockwool, peat moss, saw dust, coir dust, coconut fibre, etc. to provide mechanical support.

Need of Project

Spinach responds well to good levels of soil moisture but does not tolerate excess soil moisture and coco-pit have ability to hold up to the 73.33% moisture in it. and spinach can not tolerate excess amount of water. Hence we are decided to study the suitable growing media to spinach.

Objectives

1. To Study and compare the different growing media for spinach.
2. To pick the best from the different growing media and use it for hydroponics system.

Experimentation

We chose vermiculite, Brix dust, coir and Soil for the experiment.

24.03.2021

02.04.2021

Results.

Table No. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 shows the results of treatment 1 to treatment 4 which vermiculite, Brix dust, coir and Soil respectively. Table 1.1 shows average no of plant is 4 which is grown in vermiculite, they have average height, no. of leaves and root length is 10.5 cm, 4 and 26 cm respectively.

Table 1.1 Treatment 1 Vermiculite

Sr. No.	No. of Plants	Plant Height (cm)	No. of Leaves	Root Length (cm)
1	2	8	4	21
2	5	11	4	28
3	–	–	–	–
4	5	12.5	5	29
5	–	–	–	–

Table 1.2 Treatment 2 brix dust

Sr. No.	No. of Plants	Plant Height (cm)	No. of Leaves	Root Length (cm)
1	6	10	6	19
2	9	11	5	38
3	4	10	6	26
4	14	11	5	30
5	6	11	6	40

Table 1.2 shows average no of plant is 8 which is grown in brix dust, they have average height, no. of leaves and root length is 10.6 cm, 6 and 30.6 cm respectively.

Table 1.3 Treatment 3 Coir

Sr. No.	No. of Plants	Plant Height (cm)	No. of Leaves	Root Length (cm)
1	1	4	4	16
2	4	7	3	17.5
3	3	8	3	16
4	10	7.5	5	20
5	11	9	4	42

Table 1.3 shows average no of plant is 6 which is grown in coir, they have average height, no. of leaves and root length is 7 cm, 4 and 22.3 cm respectively.

Table 1.4 Treatment – 4 Soil

Sr. No.	No. of Plants	Plant Height (cm)	No. of Leaves	Root Length (cm)
1	5	9	5	21
2	6	10	6	30
3	5	9	6	22
4	2	7	3	21
5	–	–	–	–

Table 1.4 shows average no of plant is 4 which is grown in brix dust, they have average height, no. of leaves and root length is 8.7 cm, 5 and 23.5 cm respectively.

02.04.2021

Data shows brix dust having good results than vermiculite, coir and soil in each parameter. Hence we decided to replicate these trails with 5 treatments and 3 replication of each treatment.

17 April 2021

After 15 days survival percentage of each growing media was calculated. Results shows that the highest survival percentage in vermiculite (76%) and lowest survival percentage in coir (26.66%).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18ggq0pzsxO99Ar36PFSO4wJYJsG_kv5BbSENylfZl7Q/edit#gid=0