SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF MICROBIAL INOCULANTS AND REDUCED NUTRIENTS ON HYDROPONIC LETTUCE PERFORMANCE AND PROFITABILITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32404/rean.v13i1.9766Keywords:
Azospirillum brasilense, VAM, Nutrient solution, Lactuca sativaAbstract
This study, conducted in Maguindanao, Philippines, addresses the high costs and environmental impacts of chemical fertilizers in hydroponics by investigating the integration of microbial inoculants with reduced-rate nutrient solutions for loose-leaf lettuce cultivation. The research used a factorial design, assessing three nutrient levels (100% recommended rate, 50%, and tap water) and four microbial conditions: no inoculant, Azospirillum brasilense, Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (VAM), and a combination of both. A strong synergistic interaction was discovered. The treatment combining a 50% nutrient solution with both A. brasilense and VAM yielded the highest marketable biomass (446.67 g/plant), significantly surpassing the standard 100% nutrient treatment (372.51 g). Conversely, adding inoculants to the full-strength nutrient solution often suppressed plant growth. Economic analysis confirmed that the synergistic 50% nutrient and combined inoculant strategy also generated the highest annual net income, making it the most commercially viable approach. These findings demonstrate that integrating multi-strain microbial inoculants with a half-strength nutrient solution is an economically advantageous and sustainable strategy to reduce fertilizer dependency, lower production costs, and enhance hydroponic lettuce cultivation.
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