Philippine Christian University

Pala-pala, Dasmariñas, Cavite

HYDROPHONICS LETTUCE PLANTING

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Analytical Chemistry

Presented to the Class of

Professor Cherrielyn Lampaya-Casco

March 2009
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

INTRODUCTION

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

HYPOTHESIS

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Chapter 2 RESEARCHES ON RELATED LITERATURE

Chapter 3 RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURES

Chapter 4 PRESENTATIONS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF

RESEARCH DATA

CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Bibliography

Pictures/ Illustrations
 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Hydroponics (from the Greek words hydro water and pono labor) is a

method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil.

Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution

only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, or mineral wool.

Plant physiology researchers discovered in the 19th century that plants

absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water. In natural

conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not

essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in

water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral

nutrients are introduced into a plant's water supply artificially, soil is no longer

required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with

hydroponics. Hydroponics is also a standard technique in biology research

and teaching.

This research and experiment will prove the effectively of growing

hydroponics plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research entitled “Hydroponics Lettuce Planting” aims to

investigate and find out the solution of the following questions:

1. What are the advantages of hydroponics?

2. How long does the plant lettuce growth in mineral nutrient solutions,

with no solid medium for the roots?

3. Do hydroponics plants grow faster than the plants in soil? Why do

plants grow quicker and produce more in a hydroponics system?

4. What kind of maintenance is involved with a hydroponics system?

HYPOTHESIS

The study will test the following hypothesis:

1. There is a faster growth combined with relative freedom from soil

diseases, and very consistent crops, the quality of produce being

excellent.

2. The benefits of hydroponics can be raised in any season.

3. The benefits of plant nutrients are dissolved in the water used in

hydroponics and are mostly in inorganic and ionic form.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This experiment focuses on the production hydroponics plants.

Hydroponics is simply soil-less gardening. It is also show and discusses

how to set up a hydroponics plant in the variety of lettuce. For the people

will appreciate simple things in nature are good source of product.

This research focuses on how lettuce grows using hydroponics. Growing

plants with the hydroponics method is great when there is little space for

gardening. Hydroponics lettuce is easy to grow and requires little

maintenance.

This experimental research is limited to evaluate the quality and

effectiveness of this hydroponics using nutrients solutions and other

materials. The experiment in all was a success, but there were some

things that we would have done differently. For one thing we started the

experiment a little late.

That probably didn't affect the results at all, but the conclusions my have

been more interesting if the plants were fully grown. One thing we would

have liked to have been some more places for plants to go in. That way

we could have more of the same variety of plant to work with and

experiment with; unfortunately we did not have the materials to build such

a structure.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research presents the knowledge used today as well as that which

may be needed in the near future. Hydroponics has come a long way in the

last few years. It is no longer a mystery or secret technique. It is a simple,

reliable way of growing plants; easier and more consistent by far than growing

in soil.

Fortunately, these days there are a number of good hydroponics

nutrients on the market and it is simply a matter of choosing the product that

best suits your particular needs.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

This study will be using the following terms:

Perlite- it is cheap and lightweight and amazingly effective. It is highly

recommended because it has superb capillarity.

Aeroponics- uses pumps and sprayers to bathe the roots, which are

suspended in a supporting container, with a nutrient-oxygen mist as

opposed to a solution.

Sub-Aeration- In this system an air pump supplies oxygen to the roots of the

plants via air stones.

pH Value- The pH value refers to the acidity or alkalinity of the nutrient

solution.

Nitrogen- Influential in the production of leaves and the growth of the stem.

Phosphorus-Vital in the development of flowers, fruits, leaves and stems. Also

encourages growth of healthy roots.

Potassium- Used by the cells of a plant during assimilation of energy

produced by photosynthesis.

Calcium- Spurs root growth. Also facilitates a plant’s absorption of potassium.

Magnesium- A component of chlorophyll. Also active in the process of

distributing phosphorus throughout the plant.

Sulphur- Joins with phosphorus to heighten the effectiveness of that element.

Also used in the production of energy.

Iron- Important in the production of chlorophyll within a plant.

Manganese- Aids a plant in the absorption of nitrogen.

Zinc- Necessary component of the energy transference process in a plant.

Boron- While it has been established that boron is needed in minute amounts,

it is not known precisely how boron is used.

Copper- Needed in the production of chlorophyll.

Passive subirrigation- also known as passive hydroponics or semi-

hydroponics, is a method where plants are grown in an inert porous medium

that transports water and fertilizer to the roots by capillary action from a

separate reservoir as necessary, reducing labor and providing a constant

supply of water to the roots.

 Chapter 2

RESEARCHES ON RELATED LITERATURE

History of Hydroponics

The study of crop nutrition began thousands of years ago. Ancient

history tells us that various experiments were undertaken by Theophrastus

(372-287 B.C.), while several writings of Dioscorides on botany dating from

the first century A.D., are still in existence. The earliest published work on

growing terrestrial plants without soil was the 1627 book, Sylva Sylvarum by

Sir Francis Bacon, printed a year after his death. Water culture became a

popular research technique after that. In 1699, John Woodward published his

water culture experiments with spearmint. He found that plants in less pure

water sources grew better than plants in distilled water. By 1842 a list of nine

elements believed to be essential to plant growth had been made out, and the

discoveries of the German botanists, Julius von Sachs and Wilhelm Knop, in

the years 1859-65, resulted in a development of the technique of soilless

cultivation.[1] Growth of terrestrial plants without soil in mineral nutrient

solutions was called solution culture. It quickly became a standard research

and teaching technique and is still widely used today. Solution culture is now

considered a type of hydroponics where there is no inert medium.

In 1929, Professor William Frederick Gericke of the University of

California at Berkeley began publicly promoting that solution culture be used

for agricultural crop production. He first termed it aquaculture but later found

that aquaculture was already applied to culture of aquatic organisms. Gericke

created a sensation by growing tomato vines twenty-five feet high in his back

yard in mineral nutrient solutions rather than soil. By analogy with the ancient
Greek term for agriculture, geoponics, the science of cultivating the earth,

Gericke introduced the term hydroponics in 1937 (although he asserts that the

term was suggested by Dr. W. A. Setchell, of the University of California) for

the culture of plants in water (from the Greek hydros, "water", and ponos,

"labor").Reports of Gericke's work and his claims that hydroponics would

revolutionize plant agriculture prompted a huge number of requests for further

information. Gericke refused to reveal his secrets claiming he had done the

work at home on his own time. This refusal eventually resulted in his leaving

the University of California. In 1940, he wrote the book, Complete Guide to

Soilless Gardening.

Two other plant nutritionists at the University of California were asked

to research Gericke's claims. Dennis R. Hoagland and Daniel I. Arnon wrote a

classic 1938 agricultural bulletin, The Water Culture Method for Growing

Plants Without Soil, debunking the exaggerated claims made about

hydroponics. Hoagland and Arnon found that hydroponic crop yields were no

better than crop yields with good quality soils. Crop yields were ultimately

limited by factors other than mineral nutrients, especially light. This research,

however, overlooked the fact that hydroponics has other advantages including

the fact that the roots of the plant have constant access to oxygen and that

the plants have access to as much or as little water as they need. This is

important as one of the most common errors when growing is over- and

under- watering; and hydroponics prevents this from occurring as large

amounts of water can be made available to the plant and any water not used,

drained away, recirculated, or actively aerated, eliminating anoxic conditions

which drown root systems in soil. In soil, a grower needs to be very

experienced to know exactly how much water to feed the plant. Too much and

the plant will not be able to access oxygen; too little and the plant will lose the

ability to transport nutrients, which are typically moved into the roots while in

solution.

These two researchers developed several formulas for mineral nutrient

solutions, known as Hoagland solutions. Modified Hoagland solutions are still

used today. One of the early successes of hydroponics occurred on Wake

Island, a rocky atoll in the Pacific Ocean used as a refueling stop for Pan

American Airlines. Hydroponics was used there in the 1930s to grow

vegetables for the passengers. Hydroponics was a necessity on Wake Island

because there was no soil, and it was prohibitively expensive to airlift in fresh

vegetables.

In the 1960s, Allen Cooper of England developed the Nutrient Film

Technique. The Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center opened

in 1982 and prominently features a variety of hydroponic techniques. In recent

decades, NASA has done extensive hydroponic research for their Controlled

Ecological Life Support System or CELSS. Hydroponics intended to take

place on Mars are using LED lighting to grow in different color spectrum with

much less heat.

Origin of Hydroponic

Soilless culture

Gericke originally defined hydroponics as crop growth in mineral

nutrient solutions, with no solid medium for the roots. He objected in print to

people who applied the term hydroponics to other types of soilless culture
such as sand culture and gravel culture. The distinction between hydroponics

and soilless culture of plants has often been blurred. Soilless culture is a

broader term than hydroponics; it only requires that no soils with clay or silt

are used. Note that sand is a type of soil yet sand culture is considered a type

of soilless culture. Hydroponics is a subset of soilless culture. Many types of

soilless culture do not use the mineral nutrient solutions required for

hydroponics.

Billions of container plants are produced annually, including fruit, shade

and ornamental trees, shrubs, forest seedlings, vegetable seedlings, bedding

plants, herbaceous perennials and vines. Most container plants are produced

in soilless media, representing soilless culture. However, most are not

hydroponics because the soil less medium often provides some of the mineral

nutrients via slow release fertilizers, cation exchange and decomposition of

the organic medium itself. Most soilless media for container plants also

contain organic materials such as peat or composted bark, which provide

some nitrogen to the plant. Greenhouse growth of plants in peat bags is often

termed hydroponics, but technically it is not because the medium provides

some of the mineral nutrients.

 Chapter 3

RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURES

Introduction

This chapter contains essential portions which help us to understand

how hydroponics system of planting lettuce works. This includes the

Experimental Procedures, Materials and Equipment, Research Environment,

and Data needed for the Analysis and Interpretation of Data.

This chapter primarily answers the following question:

1. What are the nutrients required in hydroponics stock solution?

2. What are Macronutrients?

3. What are Micronutrients?

4. What are the varieties of lettuce to be used in hydroponics?

Research Procedures

Materials

Plastic cups with hole

Styrofoam box

Drums

Dipper

Seedbed

Medium (60 % coconut hush mix with 40% river sand)

Lettuce seed

Plastic cover
Procedure

1. One week before planting, you will need to prepare the seedlings for

the hydroponics. In a seedbed with the medium either soil garden or

coconut husk mix with river sand scattered the lettuce seed and leave

them for about seven to ten days. In that time, the seeds should sprout

into little seedlings. Be sure to always moist the seedbed by spraying it

with water. Don’t let them go dry.

2. Choosing and Preparing the Container for Planting. The best

containers to use for hydroponics are Styrofoam box used by fruit

vendors. Simply, put plastic cellophane or plastic cover to hold the

water and cover the side of the Styrofoam box with hole. Then you will

need to have the cover that will suspend the plastic planting cups

which your plants will be growing in. The cover of your hydroponics

system needs to completely cover the surface area. Prepare the cover

by tracing the circumference of the plastic planter cups onto the cover

and cut them out. Place six to eight holes, evenly spaced around the

cover. Be careful not to cut the holes too close to the rim on the

container.

3. Mixing the nutrient water. Plants in a hydroponics system need to be

regularly supplied with nutrients. Because there is no soil from which

the plants can get nutrients. Hydroponics Nutrient Formulation data is

given in Chapter Four for the required solution needed for the plants.

4. Now that you have the solution measured in a container (drum), it’s

now ready to finish setting up hydroponics system and transplant the

 seedlings. Poured the solution nutrients into the Styrofoam box with

plastic cover and place the cover.

5. Carefully transfer one seedling into the plastic planter cups, be sure

that the roots will not separate from its stem.

6. Place the plastic planter cups into the holes of each of the cover.

7. Keep your plants in an area where they will receive lots of sunlight. The

lettuce prefers about equal amount of direct sunlight and indirect

sunlight.

8. Keep your hydroponics system out of heavy rains. Water will get into

the box and dilute the nutrient water. As your lettuce is growing, you

will need to watch for insects which will love to eat your lettuce and see

to it the amount of nutrient solution in each of the container.

Research Environment

The Experimental activity is conducted at Chemistry Laboratory of

Philippine Christian University Dasmariñas, Cavite College Department by the

Science Major Students. Though the setting is not ideal for a best result

because of the source of sunlight is not completely penetrating the plants in

hydroponics, still it is a good start for the projects and plans by the Science

Society Organization.

Data Needed

This study aims to gather the following data in the experiment in

formulating the chemicals or nutrients required in hydroponics system.

Working Table

The working table will serve as the format on how data are to be

entered.

Hydroponics Nutrient Formulation

There are 20 Mineral Elements needed for optimal plant growth. First

we start with the Macronutrients, called such because they are required in

large amounts.

Carbon C Components of all organic compounds

Oxygen O Supplied by air and water

Hydrogen H That’s why it’s element no. 1

Nitrogen N Part of chlorophyll, amino acids, proteins

Phosphorus P Used in photosynthesis and almost all aspects of

growth

Potassium K Activates enzymes, used in formation of sugar and

starch

Calcium Ca Used in cell growth and division, part of cell wall

Magnesium Mg Part of chlorophyll, activate enzymes

Sulfur S Part of amino acids and proteins

Stock Solution 10 Liters

Dilute 100 Liters

Macronutrients

Part A Gram mMole/L PPM MACRO

Calcium Nitrate N
Potassium Nitrate P
Ammonium Nitrate K
Calcium Chloride Mg
Iron EDTA Ca
S

Then we have the Micronutrients, called such because they are

required in trace amounts. These are also referred to as trace elements.

Boron B Affects reproduction

Chlorine Cl Aids in root growth

Copper Cu Used in chlorophyll, activates enzymes

Iron Fe Used in photosynthesis

Manganese Mn Part of chlorophyll, activates enzymes

Sodium Na Used for water movement

Zinc Zn Part of enzymes, used in auxins

Molybdenum Mo Used in nitrogen fixation

Nickel Ni Liberates Nitrogen

Cobalt Co Fixates Nitrogen

Silicon Si Makestougher cell walls, enhances heat and

tolerance

These are common chemicals that can be used to mix your own nutrient

formulas.

CaNO3 Calcium Nitrate

 K2SO4 Potassium Sulfate

KH2PO4 Mono Potassium Phosphate

MgSO4 Magnesium Sulfate

NH4NO3 Ammonium Nitrate

TE Trace Elements

Micronutrients

Part B Gram PPM MICRO

Potassium Nitrate Fe
Mono potassium Phosphate Mn
Magnesium Sulfate Zn
Potassium Sulfate B
Manganese Sulfate Cu
Manganese Chelate Mo
Zinc Sulfate Ni
Zinc Chelate Co
Boric Acid
Copper Chelate
Ammonium Molybdenum
Nickel Sulfate
Cobalt Chloride

Total Periods of the Experiment

Date Activity

Varieties of Lettuce used in Hydroponics

These are the varities of lettuce seeds Estrosa, Romaine, Green Rapid

and Lolo Rosa which are available at Prime Agriculture Variety Supply in

Tagaytay.
 CHAPTER 4

PRESENTATIONS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF

RESEARCH DATA

This chapter presents and analyses data gathered in the study. It is divided in

the following areas of observation and experimentations: a.) the Hydroponics

Macronutrient Formulation, b.) the Hydroponics Micronutrient Formulation and

c.) The total periods of the experiment.

a. the Hydroponics Macronutrient Formulation

Part A Gram mMole/L PPM MACRO

 Calcium Nitrate 754 N 9.9 138
Potassium Nitrate 83 P 0.8 24
Ammonium Nitrate 0 K 2.4 93
Calcium Chloride 0 Mg 1.0 24
Iron EDTA 50.0 Ca 3.8 151
S 1.0 32

b. the Hydroponics Micronutrient Formulation

Part B Gram PPM MICRO

Potassium Nitrate 83 Fe 4.9

MonoPotassium 114 Mn 1.97

Phosphate
Magnesium Sulfate 245 Zn 0.25
Potassium Sulfate 0 B 0.7
Manganese Sulfate 8 Cu 0.068
Manganese Chelate Mo 0.05
Zinc Sulfate 1.1 Ni
Zinc Chelate Co
Boric Acid 3.9
Copper Chelate 0.3
Ammonium Molybdenum 0.102
Nickel Sulfate 0
Cobalt Chloride 0

c. the total periods of the experiment

Date Activity

February 21, 2009 Seedlings prepared for

hydroponics
February 27, 2009 Transfer of seedlings
March 27 onwards Harvesting

OBSERVATIONS:

a. the allotment time for preparing the hydroponics planting is short

b. The appropriate river sand (medium) was not used.

c. The formulation of chemicals in the water sample was attained

 CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This final chapter of study presents the (1) summary of findings and (2)

recommendations.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

After a series of observations and experimentations, the researchers

were able to formulate its findings:

• Hydroponics allowed gardening to be done all year round.

• Hydroponics is essential developing as it removes the limitations that

come with the climate zone which can be hazardous to growing.

• Hydroponics allows for more plants to be grown per given area then

traditional gardening.

• In hydroponics there is no digging or weeding required.

• Hydroponics growing allows the gardeners to determine the amount of

water that is going to be used on regular basis. And because artificially

lit hydroponics gardeners are not dependent on growing seasons, they

can produce yields several times a year rather than just once.
Recommendations

In view of the findings aforementioned, the proponents hereby

recommend the following for further research and study:

• You should also score a line on you reservoir once it painted

(use a knife, and scratch off paint in a straight line from top to

bottom) which allows you to monitor the amount of water in your

reservoir.

• When plants are in growth phase, they will need high intensity

discharge lamps. When plants are in bloom, high-pressure

sodium lights increase yields and will grow denser and heavier

vegetables or flowers.

• Use appropriate medium (riversand) for the lettuce planting.

• There is a need to put up a hydroponics planting area for

maximizing the volume of production.

• Everyday monitoring of the lettuce plants to prevent the duration

of weeds and scarce in water content.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Douglas, James S. Hydroponics. 5th ed. Bombay: Oxford UP, 1975. 1-3.

The Water Culture Method for Growing Plants Without Soil

10:49 a.m. ET (2009-03-04). "Alfalfa Sprouts Source Of Salmonella, Experts

Say - Omaha- msnbc.com". MSNBC.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29491388/. Retrieved on 2009-03-14.

Coston, D.C., G.W. Krewer, R.C. Owing and E.G. Denny (1983). Air Rooting

of Peach Semihardwood Cutting." HortScience 18(3): 323.

wikipedia.com
PICTURES AND ILLUSTRATIONS

The Hydroponics Lettuce Plant Visit

Adventist University of the Philippines
 Silang, Cavite
February 13, 2009

Pictures during the period of Hydroponics Lettuce Planting

February 21- March 27, 2009