Effects of seeding pattern and cultivar on productivity of baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea) grown hydroponically in deep-water culture

Abstract

Baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea) was grown in a bench-scale deep-water culture (DWC) system in expanded polystyrene (EPS) plug trays. Two experiments were performed. In the first, different seeding patterns, [1-2-1-2 … ] or [3-0-3-0 … ] seeds per sequential cell, at the same overall density per tray, were compared to evaluate the potential of an EPS tray designed with fewer cells, but sown with more seeds per cell (to preserve canopy density). Using such a flat would lower growing substrate requirements. Seeding in the [3-0-3-0 … ] pattern reduced seed germination, but only by 5%. Harvested fresh weight was also less numerically in the [3-0-3-0 … ] pattern but not statistically. The second experiment observed cultivars Carmel, Seaside and Space grown concurrently. Carmel had the highest germination, nearly 100%, which was significantly greater than Seaside but not Space. Germination for Space was not significantly different from that of Seaside. Carmel also had the highest harvested fresh weight but was not significantly different from Space; both Carmel and Space produced significantly more harvested fresh weight than Seaside.