Journal of Society & Technology 3:1-7 (2013)

Head Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., Asteraceae)

Production in a Non-Circulating Hydroponic System
Under the Climatic Condition of Biliran, Philippines:
A Preliminary Investigation
Vivencio A. Pelesco* & Matias A. Bentor, Jr.
Naval State University, Biliran, Biliran, Philippines

Abstract
This study explored head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., Asteraceae) production in a non-circulating
hydroponic system under the climatic conditions of Biliran, Philippines. One-sample t-test
was used to compare the experimental yield of head lettuce with the reported average yield
of 3 kg/m2 in lettuce growing areas of the Philippines under the conventional production
system. Result revealed that the experimental marketable yield of 2.92 kg/m2 is comparable
to the reported average yield of lettuce. Preliminary result indicates the possibility of head
lettuce production in a non-circulating hydroponic system under the outdoor environment of
Biliran, Philippines.

Keywords: head lettuce, SNAP hydroponics system, Biliran, vegetable production, warm climate

Introduction is the conduct of adaptability trials to

evaluate the performance and viability of
Head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., Asteraceae) producing a nontraditional crop in a certain
is a high-value vegetable known to thrive well area using some technology interventions.
only in cool, high-altitude areas (PCARRD, Nowadays, technologies have been developed
1999). Maynard and Hochmuth (2007) to make crop production possible in areas
reported that head lettuce grow best between which are not suitable to traditional farming
150 C and 180 C. Biliran province with most system due to different factors such as
arable land situated in lowland areas with undesirable climatic conditions, fresh water
relatively warm climate (temperature range of scarcity, and problematic soil condition.
230 C to 320 C [World Weather Online, 2014]), Hydroponics is one of the technologies utilized
and Eastern Visayas in general is a in areas not suitable to traditional farming
nontraditional lettuce producing region. As of system. Hydroponics is a system of growing
2008, the area devoted to lettuce production plants in a soilless nutrient solution. Usually
in Eastern Visayas is only 2 hectares with an done under a protective structure (e.g. plastic
average production from 2003 to 2008 of only houses and greenhouses), it allows for
1.13 metric tons per hectare (Bureau of uninterrupted vegetable production even
Agricultural Statistics, 2009). The region during off-season (Santos & Ocampo, 2009).
having the highest production per hectare This study attempted to establish the
(from year 2003- 2008) is Northern Mindanao possibility of raising head lettuce in a
which averaged to 9.77 metric tons per non-circulating hydroponics under the outdoor
hectare. environmental condition of Biliran.
The need to enhance food production Raising lettuce in a floating hydroponic
prompted the agricultural sector to explore system, Thompson et al. (1998) revealed that
different ways to maximize crop production. the plant could be grown in warmer
One of the studies undertaken by researchers geographic areas by optimizing root zone

*Correspondence: [email protected]
Journal of Society & Technology Pelesco & Bentor, Jr.

temperature and did found out that quality applicability in isolated areas such as island
lettuce growth could be attained even at villages without any conventional power
elevated temperatures when the optimal pond source. SNAP hydroponics utilizes passive
or root temperature is 240 C. Senillo (2004), aeration system and does not need any pump
using a non-circulating hydroponic system to circulate the nutrient solution on the roots
successfully raised head lettuce inside the of the plants.
screen house of the Visayas State University Used Styrofoam boxes of imported grapes
in Baybay, Leyte, Eastern Visayas. having an inside dimension of 56.0 cm length
As a cool-season crop, most studies have by 35.5 cm width by 9.0 cm deep were
been conducted on head lettuce in warm utilized as the hydroponics growing boxes.
regions under controlled greenhouse Transparent plastic bags measuring 20 inches
conditions. Not much published information is x 30 inches were used as liners of the growing
available on the performance of head lettuce boxes to hold the nutrient solution.
in hydroponics under a warm climate such as The seedling plug which was used to hold
in Biliran. In this study, a field experiment the aggregate material and to serve as plant
was conducted to assess the growth and yield anchorage was an 8-ounce styrofoam cup with
of head lettuce under Biliran condition. The 8 equally spaced holes in the corner of the
yield of head type lettuce in hydroponics bottom. The top cover of the growing box
under Biliran outdoor condition was compared was provided with 8 holes enough to fit and
to the established yield in traditional head hold the top of the seedling plug. In this
lettuce-growing areas in the Philippines. study, sterilized coco coir dust was used as
the aggregate material. Figure 1 shows the
schematic detail of the growing box. At 8
Materials and Methods plants per growing box, the system has a
planting density of about 40 plants/m2 .
Study Site and Climatic Condition
A transparent UV-stabilized plastic roofing
The study was conducted inside the campus was provided primarily to shield the
of Naval State University-Biliran, Biliran hydroponic system from rain. The support
Province (110 28’30”N, 1240 28’08 “E) from structure is made of bamboo and has a floor
February 1 to 28, 2013. The site was free area of 30 sq. meters (10 m length x 3m
from any obstructions and was open to width). The structure is open at the sides to
sunlight anytime of the day. During the allow free circulation of air towards the plants
period of experiment, the climatic condition (Figure 2).
of Biliran is relatively dry with daytime
temperature that ranges from 240 C in early Planting and Harvesting
morning to 320 C in the middle part of the day. Procedures
Iceberg variety of head lettuce was used as
The hydroponics System
planting material in this study. Lettuce seeds
The study used the SNAP hydroponics were sown on a styropor seedbed containing
system, a non-circulating hydroponics system 1-inch thick coco coir dust. The seedbed was
developed by the Physiology Laboratory of the kept moist by watering it with tap water. The
Institute of Plant Breeding in the University seedlings were allowed to grow for 12 days
of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna inside the protective structure before
and the Bureau of Agricultural Research of transplanting to individual growing cups or
the Department of Agriculture (Santos and seedling plugs. Twelve days after sowing, the
Ocampo, 2002). SNAP hydroponics system emerged seedlings have already developed 3
was chosen because of its simplicity and leaves.

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Journal of Society & Technology Pelesco & Bentor, Jr.

Figure 1: Detail of growing box (a – top view; b – side cross-section).

Figure 2: Lay-out of the protective structure.

Figure 3: Lay-out of the protective structure.

Figure 4: Lay-out of the protective structure.

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Journal of Society & Technology Pelesco & Bentor, Jr.

Table 1: Mineral composition and concentration of the nutrient solution

Nutrients milligram of material/100 liters of water
Fertilizer Ingredient 1
Nitrate Nitrogen (N) 4,800.00
Available Phosphate (P2 O5 ) 10,560.00
Soluble Potash (K2 O) 24,960.00
Water soluble Magnesium (Mg) 2,976.00
Combined Sulfur (S) 3,840.00
Boron (B) 48
Chelated Copper (Cu) 14.4
Chelated Iron (Fe) 288
Chelated Manganese (Mn) 48
Molybdenum (Mo) 9.6
Chelated Zinc (Zn) 14.4
Fertilizer Ingredient 2
Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4 ) 10,000.00
Fertilizer Ingredient 2
Ferrous Sulfate (FeSO4 ) 2,000.00
Fertilizer Ingredient 3
Calcium Nitrate [Ca(NO3 )2 ] 96,000.00

Transplanting of seedlings was done by produce the recommended hydroponic

digging a hole in the middle of the sterilized solution to be applied to the growing boxes.
coco coir growing media which is 21 inch The composition of each fertilizer ingredient
depth in the seedling plugs, transferring only and the concentration of minerals in nutrient
one seedling per cup. The transferred solution is listed in Table 1. Each growing box
seedlings were made to stand firmly by comprising of 8 lettuce plants was applied
replacing the dug media to the base of the with 12 liters of nutrient solution. This
seedling. Figure 3 shows the seedlings amount is enough to supply the needed
established inside the experimental area, while requirement of the plants from transplanting
Figure 4 shows the transplanting of individual until harvest.
seedlings to the seedling plugs.
The plants were harvested 28 days after
transplanting. The individual styrofoam
seedling plugs were removed from each plant
Experiment and Statistical Analysis
as well as the coco coir dust that cling on the
roots at the base of the plant. Freshly
harvested plants were weighed immediately. The experiment was replicated 20 times using
20 planting boxes with 8 plants in each planting
box. The study compared the yield of head
Preparation of Nutrient Solution
lettuce grown in the SNAP hydroponics system
The hydroponic fertilizer used in the study with the reported 3kg/m2 general average yield
was acquired from a commercial supplier lettuce regardless of variety (Abaygar, 2009) in
following the recommended nutrient lettuce-growing areas in the Philippines. One-
formulation for lettuce in a SNAP hydroponic sample t-test was used to determine significant
system. Three separate fertilizer ingredients in difference between the experimental yield and
powdered form were dissolved in tap water to the reported average yield of lettuce.

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Journal of Society & Technology Pelesco & Bentor, Jr.

Table 2: Vegetative characteristics of head lettuce in SNAP Hydroponics system

Parameters Weeks After Transplanting
1 2 3 4
Ave. number of leaves 4.66 7.72 8.53 10.5
Ave. plant height (cm) 4.34 10.48 18.79 23.37
Ave. width of leaves (cm) 2.97 5.44 11.5 17.14
Ave. length of leaves (cm) 4.03 9.74 17.2 22.47

Figure 5: Lettuce plants 2 weeks after transplanting.

Table 3: Yield of head-type lettuce in SNAP Hydroponics system

Equivalent yield in
Parameters Value, grams
kg/sq.m.
Ave. weight of biomass per plant 90.32 3.6128
Ave. weight of roots per plant 8.56 0.3424
Ave. marketable weight per plant 73.08 2.9232
Ave. non-marketable weight per plant 8.69 0.3476

Figure 6: Freshly harvested lettuce in the electronic platform balance [(a) total
biomass, (b) roots, (c) marketable part]

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Journal of Society & Technology Pelesco & Bentor, Jr.

Data Gathering and grown in lettuce growing areas under the

Instrumentation conventional production system. However, all
the plants were observed to form only loose
The weekly horticultural data includes the
heads during maturity. This observation is
following: number of leaves per plant, plant
supported by PCARRD (1999) that the
height, leaf width, and leaf length. In each
iceberg varieties of lettuce will not form heads
growing box, the number of leaves of every
in hotter areas.
plant was counted. The plant height was
The fresh biomass (Figure 6) yield of
measured as the distance from the base of the
lettuce plants is presented in Table 3. The
plant to the tip of the tallest leaf. The fully
average weight of roots is about 9.48% of the
developed leaf in the sample plant was chosen
total biomass weight per plant, while the
for measurements of the leaf width and
average marketable yield is about 80.91% of
length.
the total fresh biomass weight per plant. On
The yield parameters that were measured
the other hand the non-marketable weight is
after harvest were the total fresh biomass
about 9.62% of the total fresh biomass weight
weight per plant, fresh weight of roots per
per plant.
plant, and the fresh marketable weight per
T-test reveals that the experimental
plant. Weight measurement was made inside
marketable yield of 2.92 kg/m2 is not
the tissue culture laboratory using the
significantly different (t-value = 1.579,
electronic platform balance. Feedbacks from
p-value = 0.124) to the reported average
the consumers of the freshly harvested lettuce
yield of lettuce which is 3 kg/m2 which
who were mainly the faculty members of
suggest that the yield of head lettuce in a
Naval State University-Biliran were also
hydroponics system under the outdoor
solicited to assess the eating quality of the
environment of Biliran is comparable to the
fresh vegetable.
average yield in lettuce producing areas under
the conventional production system. Despite
Results and Discussion the climatic condition of Biliran which might
not be ideal for lettuce production, the result
The horticultural characteristics of lettuce could be attributed to the higher planting
plant are presented in Table 2. The average density in the hydroponics system compared
number of leaves increased approximately 2-3 to the lettuce planted in the soil or in the
cm every week while the height of the plant field. In addition, the nutrients supplied in a
increased approximately 3-8 cm every week. hydroponic system are formulated to provide
Rapid growth of the plants was observed 2 complete nutrition of the plants until
weeks after transplanting as shown in the maturity. This is supported by Roberto (2003)
increase of the plants’ height, leaf width and who cited the benefits of hydroponics over the
length (Figure 5). At maturity, the average conventional field production as follows: 1)
number of leaves is within the range of 10-12 elimination of soil borne pests, fungi and
fully developed true leaves for lettuce as diseases, 2) elimination of troublesome weeds
described by Kristkova et al. (2008) which and stray seedlings which eliminates the need
suggest a normal growth of the plants. The for herbicides and reduces labor, and 3)
average width of leaves at harvest (4 weeks significantly increased yields because of higher
after planting) which is <25 cm can be planting density and shorter crop maturation
classified as small based on the morphological cycle.
descriptors of lettuce as described by Feedbacks from the consumers of the
Kristkova et al. (2008). produced lettuce revealed a comparable taste
Generally, the plants were observed to be of the experimental lettuce with the one
healthy and the growth is typical to the plants commercially sold in the market. Though,

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Journal of Society & Technology Pelesco & Bentor, Jr.

sensory evaluation of the fresh lettuce was not Resources. Hort.Sci. (Prague), 35(3):113–
covered in the experiment. 129.

Maynard, D.N. and Hochmuth, G.J. (2007).

Conclusion Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New Jersey, 5th
The result indicates that head lettuce edition.
production in a non-circulating hydroponic
system under the outdoor environment of PCARRD (1999). Lettuce Production Guide.
Biliran, Philippines is possible. Under the Information Bulletin No. 150.
Biliran climatic condition, the yield of head
lettuce in a non-circulating hydroponic Roberto, K. How-to Hydroponics. New York:
production system is comparable to the yield The Futuregarden Press, 2003.
in traditional lettuce growing areas using the Santos, J.A., and Ocampo, E.T.M. (2009).
conventional production system. However, it Principles of Hydroponics (with Emphasis
should be noted that the result represent only on SNAP Hydroponics).Training Manual
one cropping season and one cultivar of head Version 1.3. pp. 1-17.
lettuce. Future studies should include other
head lettuce cultivars, different planting Senillo, M.D.B. (2004). Performance
seasons as well as other hydroponic Evaluation of Different Vegetables Grown
production system. in SNAP Hydroponics and Conventional
Production Systems. Master of Science
(Horticulture). LeyteStateUniversity, Visca,
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