Nutrient‐efficient catfish‐based aquaponics for producing lamb's lettuce at two light intensities

BACKGROUND Aquaponic systems are sustainable processes of managing water and nutrients for food production. An innovate nutrient‐efficient catfish‐based (Clarias gariepinus) aquaponics system was implemented for producing two cultivars of two leafy vegetables largely consumed worldwide: lamb's...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2024-08, Vol.104 (11), p.6541-6552
Main Authors: Sebastião, Fernando, Vaz, Daniela C, Pires, Cristiana L, Cruz, Pedro F, Moreno, Maria João, Brito, Rui M M, Cotrim, Luis, Oliveira, Nelson, Costa, Ana, Fonseca, André, Rodrigues, Maria, Ispolnov, Kirill, Bernardino, Raul, Vieira, Judite
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acclimatization
Antioxidants
Aquaponics
Catfish
Cell viability
Clarias gariepinus
Cultivars
Cytotoxicity
Eruca sativa
Eruca vesicaria
Factorial design
Foliage
Food industry
Food plants
Food processing
Food production
Leaves
Lettuce
Light intensity
Light levels
Luminous intensity
Morphology
nutrient management
Nutrients
Phenolic compounds
Phenols
Physical characteristics
Plant extracts
plant growth and development
Plant morphology
Plant species
Plants
Plants (botany)
Polyphenols
Valerianella locusta
Water management
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Summary:BACKGROUND Aquaponic systems are sustainable processes of managing water and nutrients for food production. An innovate nutrient‐efficient catfish‐based (Clarias gariepinus) aquaponics system was implemented for producing two cultivars of two leafy vegetables largely consumed worldwide: lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta var. Favor and Valerianella locusta var. de Hollande) and arugula (Eruca vesicaria var. sativa and Eruca sativa). Different growing treatments (4 × 2 factorial design) were applied to plants of each cultivar, grown at two light intensities (120 and 400 μmol m−2 s−1). During growth, several morphological characteristics (root length, plant height, leaf number, foliage diameter and biggest leaf length) were measured. At harvest, plants were weighed and examined qualitatively in terms of greenness and health status. Additionally, leaf extracts were obtained and used to determine total phenolic contents, antioxidant capacities, and levels of cytotoxicity to Caco‐2 intestinal model cells. RESULTS After a 5‐week growth period, both lamb's lettuce cultivars presented high levels of greenness and health status, at both light intensities, particularly the var. de Hollande that also showed higher average performance in terms of plant morphology. In turn, arugula cultivars showed lower levels of greenness and health status, especially the cultivar E. vesicaria var. sativa submitted to direct sunlight during growth. In addition, plant specimens submitted to higher levels of light intensity showed higher contents in antioxidants/polyphenols. Cultivars with a higher content in antioxidants/polyphenols led to higher Caco‐2 cell viability. CONCLUSION For successful industrial implementation of the aquaponics technology, different and optimized acclimatizing conditions must be applied to different plant species and cultivars. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
ISSN:0022-5142
1097-0010
1097-0010
DOI:10.1002/jsfa.13478