Comparative Study of Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol Concentrations in Hydroponic- and Soil-Grown Lettuces

Consumption of fruits and vegetables are associated with a healthy lifestyle. With the increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, it’s necessary to find some new effective ways to increase their yield. Some research has found that hydroponically-grown produce may be a way of helping to feed the world a variety of fruits and vegetables, regardless of soil quality, space availability or climate and they can be very useful for recycling oxygen.

The objective of this study was to determine whether hydroponically-grown lettuce contained as much ascorbic acid and tocopherol as soil-grown lettuce. The nutrients ascorbic acid and tocopherol were specifically chosen for testing because of their roles in antioxidant protection.

The authors chose Waldmann’s Dark Green, Red Lollo Antago, and Red Romaine Annapolis lettuces as samples, which were obtained from Mountain View Montessori School located in Reno. And all sampled lettuces were grown at an altitude of 1398 meters (4587 feet) in a greenhouse using a static solution and aerators to provide oxygen to the roots. And the ascorbic acid and aocopherol analyses were done after the samples were well prepared.

The results showed that Red Lollo Antago and Red Romaine Annapolis were red-leafed lettuces found to be redder in the hydroponic condition than the soil condition. Waldmann’s Dark Green was a green-leafed lettuce and was found to be a darker green when hydroponically-grown than when soil-grown. No physical differences were observed between the butterleaf lettuces. And the tocopherol content of hydroponically-grown Waldmann’s Dark Green, Red Lollo Antago, and Red Romaine Annapolis was 229%, 497% and 492% higher, respectively, compared to their soil-grown counterpart. The ascorbic acid content of hydroponically-grown Waldmann’s Dark Green, Red Lollo Antago, and Red Romaine Annapolis was 93%, 171% and 216% higher, respectively, compared to their soil-grown counterparts.

In conclusion, hydroponically-grown lettuce varieties were significantly higher in both ascorbic acid and tocopherol content than their soil-grown counterparts, and hydroponic gardening was a viable option for producing nutritious fruits and vegetables.

Article by Drew N. Buchanan and Stanley T. Omaye, from University of Nevada, Reno, USA.

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Image by Meighan, from Flickr-cc.