EFFECT OF MINERAL NUTRITION ON THE YIELD OF HYDROPONIC GREEN BARLEY FORAGE (HORDEUM VULGARE L.)
Authors
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Abraham Gavilanes
Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Cevallos, Ecuador
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9010-845X
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Carlos Vásquez
Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Cevallos, Ecuador
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8214-3632
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Olguer León-Gordon
Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Cevallos, Ecuador.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2521-8842
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33936/revbasdelaciencia.v10i3.8132Keywords:
barley, green forage, hydroponicsAbstract
Hydroponic forage production constitutes a relevant technology for obtaining high-quality forage within short production cycles. Barley is the fourth most widely cultivated cereal worldwide, which makes it a crop of great importance for global agriculture. The objective of this study was to determine the yield of hydroponic green barley forage (Hordeum vulgare L.) under two nutrient solutions. Each solution differed in the content of nutrients such as N, P, and K, as well as secondary macronutrients (Mg, S, and Ca) and micronutrients, and their effects were evaluated on days to germination, plant height, fresh and dry weight of roots and aerial parts, incidence of contaminants, and fresh biomass yield. The results showed that the solution with the higher nutrient content (nutrient solution A) produced the greatest plant height (19.1 cm), root mat thickness (5.8 cm), fresh and dry weight of the aerial part (60.9 and 24.9 g, respectively), fresh and dry weight of the root mat (147.7 and 77.3 g, respectively), and the highest yield (13.9 kg/m²). No significant effects of the nutrient solutions were observed on the number of leaves, root mat quality, incidence of contaminants, or days to harvest. Although this technology is still little known in the country, the high quality of hydroponically produced forage highlights the need to promote its dissemination among producers in the region in order to demonstrate the feasibility of its adoption
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Copyright (c) 2025 Abraham Gavilanes, Carlos Vásquez, Olguer León-Gordon
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