Hydrophyte root microbiome: a novel reservoir of plant growth-promoting bacteria for enhancing lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) growth and nutritional quality under soilless cultivation.
Saeed T, Grover M, Singh AK, Prasanna R, Kaushik R
Soil Health
Floating pond weeds you might overlook at the water's edge harbor bacteria that could replace synthetic fertilizers in the hydroponic lettuce systems increasingly feeding cities.
Hydroponic gardens skip soil entirely, which means they also miss out on the helpful bacteria that normally live in soil and help plants grow. Scientists tested whether bacteria collected from the roots of floating water plants — like water hyacinth — could fill that role. They found that two particular bacteria boosted lettuce yields by up to 40% and made the lettuce more nutritious, with higher vitamin C and antioxidants.
Key Findings
Bacillus aerius Aq35 increased lettuce root fresh weight by 90% and root surface area by 83.5% in soilless cultivation
Aq35 and Aq45 increased lettuce yield by 39.62% and 28.70% respectively, while also improving vitamin C, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity
Bacterial inoculation raised substrate biological activity, with dehydrogenase activity jumping from 43.40 to 64.65 µg TPF g⁻¹ day⁻¹, signaling a healthier growing medium
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers discovered that bacteria living on the roots of water plants like water hyacinth can dramatically boost lettuce growth and nutritional quality in hydroponic and soilless systems — filling a key gap where beneficial soil microbes are normally absent.
Abstract Preview
Soilless cultivation is a major component of modern protected agriculture; however, often lack the beneficial microbial communities that support plant health in natural soils. This study explored h...
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Lettuce is an annual plant of the family Asteraceae mostly grown as a leaf vegetable. The leaves are most often used raw in green salads, although lettuce is also seen in other kinds of food, such as sandwiches, wraps and soups; it can also be grilled. Its stem and seeds are sometimes used; celtu...