Productivity under Shade and Different Nutrient Solution of Hydroponic Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. BR.)

Commercialization of watercress in the Sierra Norte mountain range in Oaxaca, Mexico principally relies on harvesting plants growing on riverbanks; however, semi-intensive cultivation throughout the year could be established as an alternative for the region. With this as an objective, the present study was carried out using the laminar flow of nutrients technique to evaluate four solutions of different macronutrients and four shade percentages. Treatment distribution was formulated according to a bifactorial arrangement. Four harvest periods were employed, in April, June, September, and November of 2010. Yields and vegetative growth of watercress decreased linearly with increasing shade levels. The best results were obtained with a nutrient solution using an electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.90 dS m⁻¹. Shade cloth percentages higher than 10% caused a significant decrease in total cycle production; the use of shade cloth is not recommended during seasons with low incident radiation.