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Vol. 8 No. 2 (2025)
Published 2025-12-04
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Agrícola

Hydroponic Production Of Lettuce (Lectuca sativa) Taking Advantage Of Rainwater Harvesting

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/26653176.8303
Johan Hernán Martínez Laitón Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia
Manuel Torres Torres Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia
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Contextualization: In the municipality of Saboyá, in the Merchán area, traditional agriculture continues with agronomic activities of the green revolution model, applying bad agricultural practices, such as the inappropriate use of agrochemicals that cause resistance in insects, turning them into pests and the spread of diseases. On the other hand, the use of synthetic fertilizers generates soil degradation, the loss of microbiology, chemistry and the generation of soil desertification, which are not suitable conditions for producing healthy and safe food in a sustainable manner. An alternative solution to the problem presented is hydroponics, it is a way of producing food mainly from leaves and some small fruit trees, they present several advantages, especially environmental, but also in the continuous production of food produces clean food without the use of agrochemicals. A strategy as a contribution to reduce the negative environmental effects of traditional agriculture.

Knowledge gap: The lack of knowledge of alternative production systems, such as hydroponics, for efficient water resource management by producers in the area. The lack of awareness of strategies for implementing strategies aimed at improving water availability during droughts, and finally, the lack of studies on rainwater harvesting in rural areas of the department of Boyacá.

Purpose: The purpose of the research was to implement a hydroponic system with the use of rainwater for the production of lettuce crops, as an alternative to produce safe and healthy food.

Methodology: The hydroponic system was built, knowing the establishment costs in the implemented hydroponic system, it has a capacity to produce 480 plants simultaneously, for these the complete production cycle was carried out, from sowing, transplanting to the hydroponic system and harvest, with a total cycle time of 60 days "25 days in seedbed and 35 days of development in a hydroponic system", for the production of hydroponic lettuce it is necessary to use different materials, some of these are, nutrient solution, foams, pH regulators among others, with the above there is a hydroponic lettuce production plan, with an estimated time and efficient use of water, food production in less space among others, this in order to show the project to those interested.

Results and conclusions: The following data were obtained for water consumption of the first hydroponic lettuce harvest was 33 liters, in liters of water consumption for the seedbed and for the hydroponic production system was 1445 liters, for the second hydroponic lettuce harvest was 42 liters in water consumption for the seedbed, and for the hydroponic production system was 1552 liters, and for the third hydroponic lettuce harvest was 33 liters in water consumption for the seedbed, and for the hydroponic production system was 1408 liters, and it was concluded that the use of space is used in the best way in hydroponics, being able to obtain many more crops, and constantly, without running the risk of it losing fertility, as can occur in traditional crops that use the soil. With the development of the project, it was possible to verify that hydroponics contributes to the better use of water resources and is an alternative for the producer to mitigate the effect of climate change.

keywords: hydroponic system, nutrient solution, pH regulator, transplant
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How to Cite

Martínez Laitón, J. H., & Torres Torres, M. (2025). Hydroponic Production Of Lettuce (Lectuca sativa) Taking Advantage Of Rainwater Harvesting. Agricolae & Habitat, 8(2), 9-29. https://doi.org/10.22490/26653176.8303
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