ASHS 2025 Conference

The aim of this project is to take seven different cultivars of Brassica oleracea (kale) and quantify their performance based on morphological and yield data and compare the results when planted in either west or east facing greenhouses and either Deep Water Culture (DWC) or Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic systems. Two identical greenhouses were set up with both a DWC and NFT inside, one facing east and one west. Seedlings were started in rockwool under the same conditions for 21 days in both greenhouses, then moved to either the DWC or NFFT system and left to grow for 25 days in similar fertilizer and pH levels. When comparing consumable plant mass (leaves) across these variables, the plants in the east facing bay had a 38% increased size compared to the plants in the west facing, the plants in the DWC had a 29% increase compared to the NFT. The varieties KX-1 and Oldenbor were the top performers across several categories including low size, high weight, and uniformity.