Cultivation strategies: comparative analysis of lettuce typologies in hydroponic systems

Abstract

Introduction. Production trends, due to the lack of productive land, are changing every day. Alternatives that are friendly to the environment and farmers are sought to produce healthy food. The research was conducted in the community of Pantaño, province of Chimborazo. Objective The objective of the research was to evaluate the production of three types of lettuce with two nutrient solutions under a hydroponic system under a greenhouse in the community of Pantaño. Methodology. The study considered 3 varieties of lettuce V1: Jade, V2: Scarlet and V3: Starfighter and two nutrient solutions. The NFT method (Nutrient Film Technique) was used, six treatments were established, each with three repetitions, using a completely randomized design (DBCA). The analysis of variance was performed, and the means were compared using Tukey's separation of means at 5% probability. Results. The results that stood out in terms of root length at 45 days, V1 presented the best results with an average of 27.75 cm. In terms of plant height, varieties V2 and V3 achieved the best averages, with 17.56 and 16.43 cm respectively. In terms of yield, it was observed that V1 responded better with solution 2, obtaining an average of 37,612.5 kg ha-1. Conclusions. V1 stood out for its root length at 45 days and its fresh weight yield, obtaining superior results compared to the other varieties. General study area: Agriculture, Specific study area: Agriculture.