Growth and Mineral Relations of Beta vulgaris var. cicla and Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima Cultivated Hydroponically with Diluted Seawater and Low Nitrogen Level in the Nutrient Solution

There is an increasing interest in the use of seawater horticulture. The objective this study was to evaluate Beta vulgaris var. cicla (Swiss chard) and its wild ancestor B. spp. maritima (sea beet) as potential crop species for hydroponics or aquaponics. Both were grown a floating system leaf production with recurrent harvests. nutrient solutions contained different concentrations nitrate (1 10 mM) synthetic sea salt (0 g L−1), factorial design, where saline solution low level intended mimic typical nutritional conditions saltwater In both species, salinity reducing N reduced yield total dry biomass. Swiss chard beet, water resulted lower concentration K, Ca, Cu, Mn, greater content Na Cl. chard, increase Cl decrease K found successive On average, beet showed higher accumulation than chard.