COMPARISON OF TWO NUTRIENT SOLUTION RECIPES FOR GROWING SPINACH CROP IN A NON- CIRCULATING HYDROPONIC SYSTEM

Plants of spinach cv Local double were grown in nutrient solutions of two different strengths (Full and 1/2) of Cooper’s 1988 and Imai’s1987 recipes (using 13 litres plastic tubs) on a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in the green house facility of Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar Pakistan during the fall 2006. Cooper’s solution recipe comprising (mg L-1) N-236, P 60.0, K 300, Ca 185, Mg 50, S 68, Fe (EDTA) 12, Mn 2.0, Zn 0.1, Cu 0.1, B 0.3, Mo 0.2) proved better with regards to many of the parameters studied. The crop grown in Cooper’s recipe(full and ½ strengths respectively) took significantly less number of days to first harvest (32.44 and 35.56 days after seeding), produced more number of leaves plant-1(12.33 and 12.44 ), larger average leaf length (34.43cm and 31.90 cm),significantly larger leaf size / leaf area (LA) plant-1 (104.90 cm2 and 78.45 cm2),significantly more average number of roots plant-1 (118.45 and 107.67),longer average root length (82.42 cm and 70.95 cm plant-1), significantly more average leaf yield plant-1 ( 25.87 g and 21.50 g of single harvest), significantly higher leaf yield pot-1 (794.40g and 645.21g), as well as higher average leaf yield container-1 (2.383 kg and 1.941 kg respectively), as compared to the corresponding(full and ½ strengths) solutions of the Imai’1987 recipe. The amounts of nutrient solution consumed (17.03 litres and 17.27 litres )were almost statistically the same for full strengths grown plants in both the recipes ,the average cost of nutrient solution consumed was significantly higher(Rs35.94 and Rs 20.86), the average total cost of growing spinach container-1was also significantly higher( Rs 56.94 and Rs 40.86), the crop revenues obtained container-1 were also significantly higher (Rs 28.60 and Rs 23.29) for Cooper’s recipe grown crop as compared to the crop grown in corresponding strengths of the Imai’s recipe (mg L-1 ), NO3-N 140.0, P 35.05, K 360.22, Ca 160.16, Mg 48.60, Fe (EDTA) 3.0, Mn 0.5, Cu 0.02, Zn 0.05, B 0.5, Mo 0.01). However, the BCR values either on solution chemicals cost bases (1.25: 1.00 and 2.76: 1.00) or on total cost container-1 bases (0.58: 1.00 and 0.76: 1.00) were significantly higher for Imai’s recipe grown crop.Plants of spinach cv Local double were grown in nutrient solutions of two different strengths (Full and 1/2) of Cooper’s 1988 and Imai’s1987 recipes (using 13 litres plastic tubs) on a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in the green house facility of Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar Pakistan during the fall 2006. Cooper’s solution recipe comprising (mg L-1) N-236, P 60.0, K 300, Ca 185, Mg 50, S 68, Fe (EDTA) 12, Mn 2.0, Zn 0.1, Cu 0.1, B 0.3, Mo 0.2) proved better with regards to many of the parameters studied. The crop grown in Cooper’s recipe(full and ½ strengths respectively) took significantly less number of days to first harvest (32.44 and 35.56 days after seeding), produced more number of leaves plant-1(12.33 and 12.44 ), larger average leaf length (34.43cm and 31.90 cm),significantly larger leaf size / leaf area (LA) plant-1 (104.90 cm2 and 78.45 cm2),significantly more average number of roots plant-1 (118.45 and 107.67),longer average root length (82.42 cm and 70.95 cm plant-1), significantly more average leaf yield plant-1 ( 25.87 g and 21.50 g of single harvest), significantly higher leaf yield pot-1 (794.40g and 645.21g), as well as higher average leaf yield container-1 (2.383 kg and 1.941 kg respectively), as compared to the corresponding(full and ½ strengths) solutions of the Imai’1987 recipe. The amounts of nutrient solution consumed (17.03 litres and 17.27 litres )were almost statistically the same for full strengths grown plants in both the recipes ,the average cost of nutrient solution consumed was significantly higher(Rs35.94 and Rs 20.86), the average total cost of growing spinach container-1was also significantly higher( Rs 56.94 and Rs 40.86), the crop revenues obtained container-1 were also significantly higher (Rs 28.60 and Rs 23.29) for Cooper’s recipe grown crop as compared to the crop grown in corresponding strengths of the Imai’s recipe (mg L-1 ), NO3-N 140.0, P 35.05, K 360.22, Ca 160.16, Mg 48.60, Fe (EDTA) 3.0, Mn 0.5, Cu 0.02, Zn 0.05, B 0.5, Mo 0.01). However, the BCR values either on solution chemicals cost bases (1.25: 1.00 and 2.76: 1.00) or on total cost container-1 bases (0.58: 1.00 and 0.76: 1.00) were significantly higher for Imai’s recipe grown crop.