OPTIMIZATION OF MICRO ENVIRONMENT FOR HIGH VALUE CROPS UNDER HYDROPONICS
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Date
2023-06-01
Authors
SUDHA RANI, RATHNALA
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ACHARYA NG RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
Hydroponics culture is possibly the most intensive method of crop production in today’s agriculture industry. In combination with polyhouse or protective covers, it uses advanced technology and is capital intensive. It is highly productive, conserve water and land, and protect the environment. There has been increasing interest in the use of hydroponics or soilless techniques for producing greenhouse horticultural crops. The future growth of hydroponics depends greatly on the development of systems of production which are competitive in costs with system of open field agriculture.
Present study was carried out for the optimization of micro environment for high value crops under hydroponics at Dr. NTR College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla during the year 2021-2022. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four main nutrient concentrations and four media as subplots each three replications. The transplanting of seedling of Basil was done in perforated net cups with media of rock wool, clay balls, perlite and vermiculite. For applying the water and nutrient solution in to the structure, the nutrient film technique system has been followed. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) is a method of cultivating hydroponic plants by utilizing thin and shallow water flowing through the roots of growing plants in the water layer, which contains nutrients, and it is circulated so that plants can get enough water, nutrients and oxygen. The thin film of water flows through channel with nutrient solution and the draining the solution back into the reservoir (tank). This action is normally done with a small capacity i.e., 0.1 hp submersible pump. The pH of the hydroponics solution was maintained in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 in the tank.
Environmental parameters viz, temperature, relative humidity and CO2 are the major factors for plant growth and it was recorded throughout the experiment. The observations after transplantation of Basil were recorded in four seasons, in season1 (April to May), Season2 (August to September), Season3 (October to November) and Season4 (January to February). The data were analyzed in the MS excel with temperature Versus calender days, relative humidity versus calender days and carbon dioxide versus calender days. Polynomial equations were tried to fit for the pattern. The interactions between various independent variables and depended variable i.e., yield were tested using SPSS software. By overall, it could be seen that the yield is positively
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correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with relative humidity and carbon dioxide.
Biometric parameters like plant height, no. of branches, no.of leaves, stem diameter and root length of basil plant were measured at regular intervals beginning at 10 DAT, 20 DAT and 30 DAT (days after transplantation). The measurement of the biometric parameters in four seasons, in season1 (April to May), Season2 (August to September), Season3 (October to November) and Season4 (January to February). The data was analysed in the SPSS software. It is also important to test the effect of different concentration and media on various biometric parameters so that it can be suggested the best suitable concentration and media for growing basil crop. But the data of 30 DAT was analyzed using the standard split plot design procedure. It was found that, there is a significant difference among the treatment combinations of nutrient concentration and media under split plot design. The crop was harvested two times at each season, the crop was weighed and noted down the weight of the crop. The highest yield was observed in season1 as 41.749 kg, followed in season2 as 40.5 kg, season3 as 38.9 kg and season4 as 36.2 kg. Among all the seasons lowest yield was observed in season4 as 36.183 kg. The total yield of basil is 157.3 kg.
Design Expert-13 (split plot-multilevel categoric factor) was used for optimization of nutrient concentration and media. In season1, Optimized results of yield revealed that the best yield could be obtained if the nutrient concentration was maintained at 1100 ppm for media of vermiculite. In season2, Optimized results of yield revealed that the best yield could be obtained if the nutrient concentration was maintained at 1100 ppm for media of rock wool media. In season3, Optimized results of yield revealed that the best yield could be obtained if the nutrient concentration was maintained at 1100 ppm at media of rock wool media. In season4, Optimized results of yield revealed that the best yield could be obtained if the nutrient concentration was maintained at 1100 ppm at media of rock wool media. Finally for all the seasons, combine the optimization was carried out. The yield is negatively correlated with temperature, CO2 and positively correlated with relative humidity. This is because of the media rockwool performance might be different with temperature compared to other media.
Economics of the hydroponics was done, Net return obtained from the basil crop grown under hydroponics was Rs 16720 and the Benefit-Cost ratio is 1.08. But for the total poly house, there is a capacity of 1600 net cups for 8 A frames. Further for effective utilization of polyhouse, 4 more A frames could be procured and operated. Then total basil yield would shoot up and the B:C ratio would definitely rise to probably more than 3.0. For these 12 A frames, 2400 net cups could be installed with a yield of 600 kg of basil with a net return of Rs. 4,21,970/-. This gives a payback period of approximately 3 years.
Key words: Biometric parameters, Cost economics, Design Expert, Environmental parameters, NFT, Optimization and SPSS.
Description
OPTIMIZATION OF MICRO ENVIRONMENT FOR HIGH VALUE CROPS UNDER HYDROPONICS