Effect of Different Electrical Conductivities and pH on Growth and Biomass Accumulation of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Grown in Nutrient Film and Deep Flow Hydroponic Systems

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is an undesirable plant that grows in backyards and fields, and is commonly categorized as a weed. However, in the past, this species was used as an important component of the human diet in some parts of the world due to its excellent medicinal and nutritional benefits. To date, not much is known about production of dandelions in hydroponic systems. The study noted herein was conducted to determine the growth and biomass accumulation of dandelion grown in two different hydroponic systems namely, nutrient film technique (NFT) and deep flow technique (DFT) using different electrical conductivity (EC) and pH treatments. In the first experiment, five treatments for EC 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 dS/m at a pH of 5.8 were tested in each system. In the second experiment, five treatments for pH 5.2, 5.5, 5.8, 6.1, 6.4, at an EC of 1.4 dS/m were evaluated in each system. Twelve dandelion seedlings per EC/pH treatment were transplanted to each system. Both experiments were replicated three times. The data for parameters shoot height, shoot fresh weight, root length, root fresh weight, root/shoot, and number of leaves per plant were collected four weeks after transplanting. The EC 1.0 and 1.8 produced significantly lesser biomass for the NFT system while in the DFT system, EC 1.0 and 1.6 showed significantly lesser biomass. No significant distinctions were found in the pH results, however, these findings will be discussed in the poster. Additional studies should be carried out to determine the optimal EC and pH for producing dandelion in hydroponics.