Title : Crushed eggshells and chicken bone meal as a substitute nutrient solution for tomato (solanum lycopersicum) cultivation in Anaeroponic system
Abstract:
This study investigated the efficacy of crushed eggshells and chicken bone meal as alternative nutrientsolutions for tomato plants in aeroponic systems. Using a quasi-experimental design, two groupswerecompared over an 8-week period. Tomato plants were subjected to a homemade aeroponic setup. Twosolutions were prepared and used, a commercial nutrient solution and crushed eggshells and chickenbonemeal in a 1:1 ratio mixed with tap water. A water pump was employed to ensure equal distributionof thenutrient solution. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in leaf number (p = 0.87), plant height(p = 0.766), or root length (p = 0.71) between the group using the alternative nutrient solution andthegroupusing a commercial solution. Despite slight variations in growth patterns, both nutrient solutions supportedgrowth in tomato plants. These findings suggest that crushed eggshells and chicken bone meal holdpromiseassubstitutes for traditional commercial nutrient solutions in aeroponic systems, demonstrating comparableefficacy in promoting plant development. The study recommends employing more controlledsetupstoenhance reliability, exploring various nutrient solution ratios to optimize plant growth, extendingexperimentation duration for long-term effects assessment, and diversifying plant species to understandsolution adaptability better.
