Soilless urban gardening as a post covid-19 food security salvage technology: A study on the physiognomic response of lettuce to hydroponics in Uganda
Margaret S. Gumisiriza, Patrick A. Ndakidemi, Zainah Nampijja, Ernest R. Mbega
Scientific African
Urban Farm DB summary
In Uganda, this study assessed vegetable performance using a non-greenhouse hydroponic system to investigate its potential as a sustainable urban farming technology for enhancing food security. Leafy lettuce (red and green) was grown using non-circulating hydroponics, with soil-based cultivation as a control, and six parameters—plant height, root length, number of leaves, lettuce weight, moisture content, and dry matter—were measured 20 and 40 days after transplanting. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between soil and hydroponic cultivation for dry matter content, fresh weight, and root length, but based on the number of leaves, hydroponics showed potential to perform as equally well as conventional farming.