Scientists of Novosibirsk State Technical University (NETI) have proposed using the drug "Unigel Planthum" in greenhouse complexes to increase yields and improve the nutritional value of lettuce.
The project to study the properties of biogel in its various modifications, as well as the creation of a number of products based on it for use at home, for the needs of medicine, animal husbandry and crop production is being implemented within the framework of the biomedical direction of the Priority 2030 program of NSTU-NETI.
Lettuce is one of the most demanded and consumed green crops on the Russian market, which is grown in protected soil conditions. In terms of nutritional content, it is one of the ten most useful plant products. Lettuce is low in calories, rich in vitamins, trace elements, antioxidants, and is an important source of protein.
Ekaterina Litvinova, Candidate of Biological Sciences, head of the scientific group, said that the Unigel Plantum preparation includes a complex of organic substances and microorganisms necessary for the normal growth and development of plants: bacteria, amino acids, humic and fulvic acids, and various trace elements. This formulation has been developed taking into account the fact that greenhouses usually add these components to nutrient solutions to stimulate plant growth and development. However, with hydroponic cultivation, frequent watering reduces the effectiveness of these additives, as they are washed out and not retained in the root zone throughout the growing season of lettuce.
Scientists at NSTU-NETI proposed using one of their developments, the Unigel Plantum drug, to increase yields and improve the quality characteristics of lettuce cultivated by the hydroponic method. For the study, we selected a lettuce of the Aficon variety, grown on hydroponics in the greenhouse complex "Gardens of the Giant". The Unigel Plantum preparation was added once to the experimental group of plants at a dosage of 0.03 g per pot. The plants were grown in natural light, without the use of additional illumination.
The results of the experiment were evaluated 28 days after sowing. The effect of the drug on qualitative and quantitative indicators, such as maturation period, weight, root system development, root hair development, moisture content, protein and percentage of amino acids in lettuce, was tested.
The yield of plants was calculated from the average weight of leaf rosettes without and with a root system. To determine the mass of lettuce leaf rosettes without a root system, they were cut off at the base and weighed on a scale. The mass of plants with a root system was measured using the same equipment by removing the part from the pot that had sprouted into mineral wool. The quality of lettuce was assessed by the content of dry matter, crude protein, and amino acid composition.
According to the results of the experiment, the scientists concluded that the use of the drug increased the yield and growth rate by 20% due to the abundantly developed root system of plants. This allowed the plant to efficiently receive nutrients and led to an increase in the amount of essential amino acids in the salad. The results obtained allow us to recommend this drug for implementation in technological schemes for growing leafy vegetables in protected soil conditions.
A scientific article on this development has been published in the journal "Engineering and Technology of Food Production".