Page 191 - AJWEP-v22i3

Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 22, No. 3 (2025), pp. 185-197.
doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025170132

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Determining optimal cultivation parameters for a portable
hydroponic system using the nutrient film technique

Kateryna Vasylkovska * , Mykola Kovalov , Oleksii Vasylkovskyi ,
1
1
2
and Daria Michailova 3
1 Department of General Agriculture, Faculty of Agro-technical, Central Ukrainian National Technical University,
Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine
2 Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agro-technical, Central Ukrainian National Technical University,
Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine
3 Department of Professionally Oriented Disciplines, Kropyvnytskyi Agrarian Professional College, Kropyvnytskyi,
Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine
*Corresponding author: Kateryna Vasylkovska (vasylkovskakv@kntu.kr.ua)

Received: April 27, 2025; Revised: May 15, 2025; Accepted: May 26, 2025; Published online: June 19, 2025

Abstract: Changes in climatic conditions in Ukraine and around the world pose a certain threat to food security and
force us to seek new technological opportunities for growing agricultural products. This study aims to identify the
optimal cultivation parameters for growing vegetable and berry plants in a portable, compact, and easy-to-maintain
hydroponic nutrient film technique (NFT) system. The goal is to achieve high product quality and maximize plant yields
by utilizing phytomatrix equipped with red and blue light-emitting diode (LED) elements in a 4:1 ratio, combined with
a nutrient solution based on biological products. An experimental portable hydroponic NFT system was developed,
incorporating these phytomatrices for additional lighting. This specific red-to-blue light ratio enhances photosynthesis
efficiency, promotes yield increases, and ensures the quality development of plant structural parts. In addition, the use
of a roller system allows for easy movement of the plants as needed. The study examined the effects of several factors
on the growth performance of basil plants (Rutan variety), including seed treatment with the effective microorganisms
(EM)-5 concentrate, air and nutrient solution temperature, and nutrient solution concentration. It was determined
that the optimal conditions for basil growth include an air and nutrient solution temperature range of 24 – 26°C.
Furthermore, increasing the nutrient solution concentration to an optimum level of 2.4 – 2.5 mS/cm resulted in
significant improvements across all measured growth parameters of Rutan basil plants. Therefore, growing vegetable
crops in a hydroponic installation with phytomatrices with red and blue LED emitting elements in a ratio of 4:1 and
using a nutrient solution based on EM preparations will make it possible to increase their productivity.

Keywords: Basil plants; Effective microorganism preparations; Hydroponic plant; Lighting; Nutrient solution;
Phytomatrix

1. Introduction The ongoing war in Ukraine has further intensified the
food crisis, worsening the challenges related to ensuring
Global and Ukrainian food security depends on multiple stable and sufficient food supplies. 1
factors; primarily the population’s ability to meet daily In the context of increasingly risky farming
energy needs and maintain a nutritionally balanced diet. conditions in northern and central Ukraine, the

Volume 22 Issue 3 (2025) 185 doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025170132