Productivity and Profitability of Two Varieties of Ampalaya (Momordica charantia L.) under Different Nutrient Solutions and their Combination in an Aggregate Hydroponics System

Abstract

Hydroponics is a system of growing plants in nutrient solutions which could be from organic or inorganic sources with or without the use of aggregate medium. It is an alternative way of growing vegetables that would overcome problems encountered in conventional farming like soil acidity, alkalinity, and soil-borne diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the growth, yield, and profitability of ampalaya varieties grown under aggregate hydroponic systems using different nutrient solutions. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications using ampalaya hybrids as factor A and nutrient solutions as factor B. The two ampalaya hybrids (Galaxy and Jade Star) applied with commercial solution showed significantly greater values in terms of horticultural parameters, yield, and yield components. Between the two ampalaya hybrids, no significant effect was observed in most of the characteristics except on the weight of roots. Galaxy had heavier roots compared to Jade Star. Consistent superiority of plants applied with commercial solution was manifested in most parameters. The overall results revealed that production of ampalaya hybrid using an aggregate hydroponic system is profitable.