A Study of Vegetable Growth with Vermicompost Teas in Deep Water Culturing (DWC) Hydroponics
Beatriz Cruz
Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation
College: The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Major: Biology/Enviornmental Option
Faculty Research Mentor: Dongyan Mu
Abstract:
Title: A Study of Vegetable Growth with Vermicompost Teas in Deep Water Culturing hydroponicsAuthor: Beatriz Cruz, Department of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Kean UniversityAdvisor: Dongyan MuAbstract:With the population growing every year, there is a need to produce more food, which requires more land and resources to grow. Hydroponics effectively reduces the amount of land and resources needed to grow the same amount of food while promoting local and sustainable farming practices. In addition, if organic nutrients can be used in hydroponics, it can increase organic food production and farming at the same time. The main purpose of this research is to test the vermicompost, an organic nutrient produced at Kean and evaluate it as a nutrient alternative to synthetic fertilizers in hydroponic production. Vermicompost is produced through a red worms' digestion process and contains nutrients and microbes that are essential for plant growth. In this research, various vermicompost produced from food waste or animal waste were brewed into compost teas and tested using DWC (Deep Water Culture) hydroponics: one for vermicompost produced at Kean, one for store bought worm castings, and the last for R&M manure compost for comparison. During the study we grew lettuce with the three compost teas and measured / tested the water samples in the DWC buckets over the entire 36 day growing cycle. We then compared the yields and identified key factors impacting lettuce growth. This research is expected to expand information regarding compost tea application in hydroponic systems making hydroponics, as a growing method, more viable in communities; it will also provide practical guidance to farmers running hydroponics with organic nutrients.