The Performance of Organic Nutrient Solutions in Hydroponic Vegetable Production: Inputs for Process Quality Control

Process conditions for nutrient solutions are critical factors in hydroponic production. Hence, this study assessed the performance of the organic nutrient solution as an input to process quality control in hydroponically grown vegetable production. The primary raw materials of the nutrient solution were food waste (FW), chicken manure (CM), and rice husk biochar (RHB). The FW and CM-RHB solutions were administered separately to the Lollo bionda lettuce in a Kratky hydroponic system. No significant differences in yield were observed among the solutions, demonstrating the potential of the organic solutions. The yield also showed no significant correlations to pH, EC, TDS, and ion concentration, suggesting that process parameters may affect product quality rather than quantity. Based on statistical analysis, the pH, EC, and ion concentration of the Control were significantly different from organic solutions. Significant differences were observed between FW and CM-RHB solutions in EC and TDS. Pearson correlation coefficients showed that pH and EC are directly related to the TDS of the FW solution, while ion concentration and TDS for the CM-RHB solution. Cross-correlation analysis shows a significant correlation with zero lag, indicating an immediate response of pH and EC with changes in ion concentration and TDS.