The Modified Hydroponic Kit Based on Self-Fertigation System Designed for Remote Areas

Abstract

Hydroponics has great potential to improve the sustainability of food supplies in various regions presently and in the future. However, studies on proposed hydroponic technology specifically for remote areas are still very limited, with the majority focusing on urban areas. Limited resources, such as electricity supply, are the main obstacles to implementing hydroponics in remote areas. Therefore, this study proposes a breakthrough in hydroponic technology based on a self-fertigation system that can work without electricity for effective and efficient plant growth. This study employs a descriptive quantitative methodology. The proposed hydroponic technology was applied to spinach (Amaranthus dubius) with green and red varieties, from January to April 2021 during the wet season in the tropical climate of Indonesia. Spinach seeds were sown and placed at the nursery for 10 days in net pots containing rockwool of 25 mm of cubes growth media, and then transferred to a hydroponic kit until harvesting. Based on the analysis, microclimate conditions had a safe range and were consistent with plant growth standards. The modified hydroponic kit provided good fertigation quality including temperature, electrical conductivity, potential hydrogen and dissolved oxygen for spinach plants. The total fertigation consumption amounted to 46.64 L during the 20 days of planting (equal to 0.012 L/plant day−1) with low evapotranspiration (0.89 mm/day). In addition, green spinach had higher productivity of 1.34 kg/m2 than red at 0.71 kg/m2. The nutritional analysis results also showed that green spinach is superior for calcium, iron, phosphor, and vitamin C, while red is superior for potassium and magnesium. The hydroponic kit was used successfully to cultivate spinach plants with good morphological and nutritional qualities. This type of technology has a bright outlook for the near future and must be continuously developed.