Feasibility of Growing Sweet Potato in Hydroponics

Abstract

The project entitled “THE FEASIBILITY OF GROWING SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas) IN HYDROPONICS” is conducted by the researchers namely; Farrah Marie Caberte and Georgette Divinagracia of third-year representatives of Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS) under the advisory of Ma’am Balve G. Granido.
This said study aims to grow root crops, specifically sweet potato, in hydroponics where soil is not needed and are only grown in water.
In this project, there were three setups for the different varieties of sweet potatoes and another two set-ups for different sizes of camote. The different varieties we used in this study are the Orange, the Purple/violet, and the Yellow variety. In this, we have three replicates for each variety. So each set-up is composed of three replicates. While in the other two set-ups, there are six replicates for big and small sizes.
Observation and results showed that Sweet potato (camote) can be grown in simple hydroponics medium. The growth of sweet potatoes in hydroponics medium is affected by its different varieties, sizes and some other factors. Therefore, further research is needed to make this hydroponics method better.

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Studies stated that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic

ions in water. In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive.
Whether a plant is grown in soil or a “soilless” medium, there are many factors affecting plant growth and productivity. All plants require nutrients, water, light, and air to grow. A plant grown in soil obtains nutrients and water from the soil, when available. With hydroponics, because water and nutrients are always available, the plant is never stressed. Sunlight and air also are readily available in outdoor hydroponics system.
Sweet potatoes(Ipomoea batatas), one of the root crops, are the ones used in this hydroponics’ project. Most of the root crops are grown in hydroponics used only their seedlings and stems but in this study, the root crop is the one that is used in growing sweet potato in the water medium.



Statement of the Problem

Specifically, the study will answer the following questions:
1. Will the sweet potato (camote) grow in hydroponics medium?
2. Which of the sweet potato varieties grow best in the hydroponics medium?
3. What are the factors that will affect the growth of sweet potato in the
hydroponics medium?


Hypothesis

• Sweet potato (camote) can be grown in hydroponics medium.



Significance of the Study

Culturing root crop like sweet potato, in hydroponics' medium will have the following benefits:
Aesthetic value – for it gives us the whole view of the plant from its roots to its stems, leaves, and even flowers.
Economic value – for the leaves of the said root crops can be harvested for food and medicine.


Scope and Limitation

This study is limited on the feasibility of growing sweet potato in hydroponics medium . But the study does not include comparing it with the performance of the root crops in their natural growing medium, the soil. The researchers also use the roots of these root crops (sweet potato) as their planting materials not the cuttings.

Definition of Terms

Hydroponics- is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions
instead of soil.
Root Crops- are plant root usually found underground for food storage. In
this study, it refers sweet potato.
Sweet Potato- (Ipomoea batatas) commonly called camote in the Philippines
(is a crop plant whose large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are an
an important root vegetable.

Chapter 2
Review of Related Literature

Hydroponics is a method of growing
plants using mineral nutrient solutions instead of soil. Hydroponics also basically means working water ("hydro" means "water" and "ponos" means "labor").
Hydroponics offers many advantages for commercial agriculture. Cultivating plants without soil eliminates the need for vast farmland and allows crops to be produced in greenhouses or even in the desert sands. Hydroponic techniques also allow for precise water and nutrient application directly to the roots of each plant.
Root crops are plant root usually found underground for food storage. In the global food system, it is envisioned that root crops will emerge in the form of diversified range of high-quality and competitive products for food, feed and industry. Root crops play a very important role in food security and poverty eradication in the Philippines. They are readily available health crops, which can be utilized for food, feeds, and other industrial uses.
Root vegetables are plant roots used as vegetables. Of particular economic importance are those with a high carbohydrate concentration in the form of starch. One of these starchy root vegetables is the so-called sweet potatoes, scientifically named Ipomoea batatas which can be used to grow in hydroponics. Sweet potatoes are crop plants with large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots.
Some of the varieties of the sweet potatoes are the Garnet, Beauregard, and Jersey. Garnet varieties are deep red or purple-skinned and their flesh is soft and moist orange. Beauregard ones are light-copper-skinned and have crispy, moist bright orange flesh while the Jersey ones are creamy-yellow or tan in color and have pale yellow and “dry” flesh.

Chapter 3
Methodology

Materials

Root crops: sweet potato(different sizes and varieties)
Bamboo sticks
Glass/Transparent containers

Flow Chart

Preparing the Materials
↓
Skewing the Set-ups with Bamboo sticks
↓
Dipping the skewed Root Crops into
Glass Containers with Water
↓
Observation and Analysis

Then the set-ups were placed inside a room/box for one week. This was to allow root formation on the different set-ups made. After one week, the set-ups were then exposed to sunlight.
The root formations per set-up were observed daily for one week period. Then when the set-ups were exposed to sunlight, daily observation was done for one week also. Then the succeeding observations were done weekly.

Water in the containers were replaced every week. There were also varied set-ups made to confirm the results of the study. The other set-ups used were empty plastic coke container (1.5 liter), plastic cups, and microwave oven plastic containers.

Conclusion

We can grow sweet potatoes using the hydroponics method but using the regular medium, the soil, would still be better. In terms of different varieties, the ones in Garnet variety showed better results than the other two. The big ones were better compared to the small ones. From this study, we have discovered that not all kinds of sweet potatoes show the same results in terms of production of sprouts and roots, length of cuttings and mass of harvested sprouts. Thus, there are some factors that could affect the growth of sweet potatoes like the varieties and the sizes. During our study, we also found out some factors that could affect their growth. Like the sizes of the container and the condition of the sweet potatoes before the experimentation. We have chosen some sweet potatoes which were bad in condition. The containers for the different set-ups were not that big, too. Some sweet potatoes were big for the containers while some were small. Those big sweet potatoes which were in the small containers eventually died during the experiment.

Recommendation

We would like to recommend the expansion of the possibilities of having other factors affecting the growth of sweet potatoes in hydroponics. In this study, we also harvested the roots. We recommend the further study about the use of the roots being harvested.


References


• http://www.hydroponics.com/hydroponics/growingtechniques.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato
• http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07604.html
• http://www.uga.edu/rootandtubercrops/English/
• http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/id56/rootcrops.html
• http://www.saturdaymarket.com/nakashima.htm
• http://www.answers.com/topic/sweet-potato
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potatoes#Ues
• http://www.geocities.com/green_cache/hydroponics.html
• http://www.drugs.com/npp/sweet-potato.html
• http://www.doityourself.com/stry/allaboutsweetpotatoe