Impact of Hydroponic Versus Soil Cultivation on Germination, Chlorophyll Content, and productivity of Arugula plant (Eruca sativa Mill)

Abstract

Plants face many stresses from soil, such as water shortage, water quality and nutrient availability, which ultimately affect the growth and productivity of the plant. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of using hydroponics compared to soil cultivation, where the seeds of (Eruca sativa Mill.) were planted in both cultivation systems, using a model of hydroponics and a model of soil. The experiment was designed according to a completely randomized design (CRD), with (24) replicates for each model treatment. The germination rate, chlorophyll content, and productivity of (Eruca sativa Mill.) grown in all models were measured. The results showed that there were very significant differences (P<0.001) between the treatments. The germination rate and chlorophyll content for hydroponics and soil cultivation were (78.7%, 48SPAD) and (26%, 30SPAD), respectively. The results of this study also showed that the average of productivity for (Eruca sativa Mill.) grown in the hydroponic system was four times higher than it was for (Eruca sativa Mill.) grown in a soil system. These results are considered motivate to research and delve into this field.