COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF Plectranthus amboinicus GROWN IN HYDROPONIC AND AEROPONIC SYSTEMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18173/2354-1059.2026-0036Keywords:
Plectranthus amboinicus, aeroponics, hydroponics, physiological traits, biochemical characteristicsAbstract
This study evaluated the effects of hydroponic and aeroponic cultivation systems on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Plectranthus amboinicus under controlled environmental conditions. The 50-day experiment comprised one hydroponic treatment (HYP) and two aeroponic treatments with misting cycles of 30 s on/5 min off (AER1) and 30 s on/15 min off (AER2). Each treatment included three plants as independent biological replicates (n = 3; nine plants in total). Plant height, leaf number, branch number, and Soil Plant Analysis Development value were assessed at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 days, whereas biomass, water-related traits, and biochemical characteristics were evaluated at harvest. AER1 produced the greatest plant height (48.8 cm), leaf number (42.5 leaves plant-1), fresh weight (82.7 g plant-1), and dry weight (4.26 g plant-1). It also resulted in the highest contents of vitamin C, reducing sugars, titratable acidity, and total flavonoids. In contrast, nitrate accumulation was highest in HYP and decreased by 26.3% under AER1. These findings indicate that, under the tested conditions, the short-interval aeroponic misting regime was associated with greater growth and higher levels of the biochemical parameters measured in P. amboinicus.
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