The sustainable production of lettuce and celery ecologyically in deep water culture

To match the growing food demands, under climate change risks and lack of natural resources as a result of high population and urbanization, soilless culture could create a successful strategy to win not just in hunger war but also to achieve the sustainable and ecology food production. The investigation was carried out at Central Laboratory for Agriculture Climate (CLAC), Agriculture Research Center, Egypt during two successive autumn seasons of 2017 and 2018 in deep water culture system under net-house conditions. The aims of study were investigating the use of different air (O-2) supply systems (turning and flushing, pumping air and deep flow technique (DFT) combined with different sources of nutrient solutions (Chemical, vermi-liquid and chemical + vermi-liquid (1:1)) for producing ecology lettuce and celery yields. The experiment performed in complete randomized blocks design. The yield characteristics and nutrient contents (N, P and K (%) of lettuce and celery beside the dissolved oxygen index (DOI) of different air supply systems and nutrient solution sources were measured. The obtained results indicate that using air pumping led to decrease the power use (kw/season) and its cost while increase DOI of different nutrient solution sources in deep water culture systems resulted the highest yield of lettuce and celery followed by DFT while turning and flushing system recorded the lowest yield of lettuce and celery. Vermi-liquid had a negative impact on DOI while presented positive impact regarding to free chemical nutrient use, root growth and root: vegetative ratio. The application of chemical a nutrient solution gave the highest yield of lettuce and celery compared to other nutrient solutions sources as a logic result of satisfying the plants nutrient requirements. The interaction effect of air pumping combined with chemical solution followed by chemical + vermi-liquid (1:1) presented the highest yield of lettuce and celery. The highest N and K (%) contents of lettuce and celery were obtained by the use of air pumping m, chemical nutrient solution and the combined treatment between both of them. The application of vermi-liquid presented a high significant promotion on the roots growth of both lettuce and celery. The study recommended that implementing air pumping combined with chemical + vermi-liquid (1:1) as a nutrient solution in deep water culture for producing ecology and sustainable lettuce and celery. Deep water culture as an inexpensive and simple soilless culture system could attribute strongly in ecology production of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and celery. On the other hand, the use of vermi-liquid as a nutrient solution reduce the chemical use and environmental risk while sustained the vegetable production.