Comparing yield, nutrient uptake and water use efficiency of Nasturtium officinale cultivated in aquaponic, hydroponic, and soil systems

• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42339
• Publication Date: 2025-01-29T00:30:44Z
• Authors: Parviz Alizaeh; Hamid Sodaeizade; Asghar Mosleh Arani; Mohammad Ali Haki...
• Keywords: Aquaponics; Hydroponics; Soil nutrients

Soilless systems have become increasingly popular as effective solutions for regions with infertile soil, low water availability, limited space, and environmental pollution. There is information on the role of soilless culture in production medicinal plants. While some research has examined growth rates yields, there not enough data how these affect nutrient uptake, physiological properties, use efficiency (WUE) This investigated alternative techniques cultivating watercress (Nasturtium officinale). The study was conducted using a completely randomized design five replications assessed impact different cultivation (hydroponic, aquaponic, soil) watercress. results showed that had significant effects morphological, content (P < 0.01). When grown hydroponics aquaponics, exhibited 58.2 54.3 % increase height, 104.7 59.2 root length, 20.1 72.9 leaves, 44.3 11.4 lateral branches, 58.5 35.3 leaf area, 46.8 81 yield, respectively, than soil-based system. system promoted higher levels chlorophyll b, while amounts carotenoids, protein, proline, relative aquaponics demonstrated highest N, P, Mg, S, Na, soil displayed Ca, Fe, Zn concentrations. amount Fe can be attributed to organic matter, which plays chelating micronutrients enhancing their accessibility plant absorption. Different significantly affected daily usage WUE. Daily decreased by 39 34.4 hydroponic respectively WUE aquaponic 2.45 2.78 soil. Overall, resulted faster yields. lead reduced inputs less traditional farming. Further investigation needed assess economic feasibility growing plants methods.