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Explora: Environment
and Resource Low-cost hydroponic for chili production

Conversely, antioxidant enzymatic activities, including
SOD and CAT, were nearly twofold lower in Set III
plants relative to hydroponic plants (Figure 8). Plants
grown under Sets I and II displayed similar physiological
responses to stress (Table A4).
3.5. Association analysis of stress responses with
yield and nutritional quality traits using Kendall’s
tau correlation
Kendall’s τ correlation analysis (Figure 9 and Table A5)
revealed several statistically significant associations
between four stress response parameters (H O , MDA,
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Figure 3. Plant height in the three experimental sets: Set I - low-cost SOD, and CAT) and three agronomic or nutritional
hydroponics using plastic bottles; Set II - conventional hydroponics; Set traits (yield, vitamin C content, and capsaicin levels).
III - soil control. Data were recorded after 140 days of cultivation and
are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Different letters indicate For yield, significant positive correlations were observed
statistically significant differences according to Duncan’s multiple range with both SOD (τ = 0.77) and CAT (τ = 0.737), indicating
test (p<0.05). that increased antioxidant enzyme activity is strongly
associated with increased yield. Conversely, MDA showed
a significant negative correlation (τ = −0.604), suggesting
that lipid peroxidation is inversely related to yield. The
correlation with H O was weak and not statistically
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significant (τ = −0.208).
For Vitamin C content, moderate positive correlations
were detected with SOD (τ = 0.567) and CAT (τ = 0.476),
indicating that antioxidant enzymes may play a role in
maintaining or enhancing Vitamin C levels. H O showed
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a significant negative correlation (τ = −0.385), suggesting
oxidative stress may reduce Vitamin C accumulation. The
correlation with MDA was weak (τ = −0.206) and not
statistically significant. For capsaicin content, significant
positive correlations were detected with SOD (τ = 0.648)
Figure 4. Days required for first flowering, first fruiting, and complete and CAT (τ = 0.553). These findings reinforce the pattern
fruit maturation (red-ripe stage) in the three experimental sets: Set I - low- observed with yield and Vitamin C, emphasizing the
cost hydroponics using plastic bottles; Set II - conventional hydroponics; protective or enhancing role of antioxidant enzymes in
Set III - soil control. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. capsaicin accumulation. Significant negative correlations
Different letters indicate statistically significant differences according to
Duncan’s multiple range test (p<0.05). with H O (τ = −0.301) and MDA (τ = −0.247) further
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indicate that oxidative stress markers may be detrimental
3.3. Nutritional quality of fruit to capsaicin synthesis.
Both ascorbic acid and capsaicin contents in mature 3.6. Feedback analysis from local users
harvested fruits were significantly higher in plants grown More than 60% of participants provided positive feedback
under low-cost hydroponics (Set I) and conventional on the system’s accessibility and cost-effectiveness,
hydroponics (Set II) compared to soil-grown plants while relatively few reported technical difficulties
(Set III). As shown in Figure 6, no significant differences (Figure 10 and Table A6). Overall, the feedback supports
were observed between Sets I and II in terms of these the system’s practical applicability, affordability, and
nutraceutical parameters (Table A3). potential replicability in resource-limited settings.

3.4. Physiological response of plants 4. Discussion
Leaf peroxide content and MDA levels were two- to The results of the present study clearly demonstrate the
threefold higher in soil-grown plants (Set III) compared potential of hydroponic cultivation practices to enhance
to either hydroponic systems (Sets I and II) (Figure 7). plant growth and improve both quality and yield in

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 5 doi: 10.36922/EER025250050