Table 4.
Main effects of genotypes and nutrient solution strength on development stage, substrate coverage, substrate uniformity and density of microgreens (first experiment).
| Development Stage (1) | Substrate Coverage (2) | Substrate Uniformity (3) | Density | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 1-5 | 1-3 | Microgreens cm−2 | |
| Genotype (G) | ||||
| Broccoli raab | 3.0 ± 0.1 | 2.2 ± 0.4 a | 2.0 ± 0.0 a | 4.1 ± 0.5 |
| Broccoli | 3.0 ± 0.1 | 2.0 ± 0.1 a | 1.8 ± 0.4 ab | 4.3 ± 1.5 |
| Cauliflower | 3.0 ± 0.1 | 1.6 ± 0.5 b | 1.4 ± 0.5 b | 3.7 ± 0.5 |
| Nutrient solution strength (NSS) | ||||
| 1/2 | 3.0 ± 0.1 | 2.1 ± 0.6 | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 3.9 ± 0.5 |
| 1/4 | 3.0 ± 0.2 | 1.9 ± 0.3 | 1.7 ± 0.5 | 4.0 ± 1.4 |
| 1/8 | 3.0 ± 0.1 | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 4.1 ± 0.6 |
| Significance | ||||
| G | NS | ** | * | NS |
| NSS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| G * NSS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
(1) Development stage: 1—cotyledonary leaves; 2—true leaves (≤5 mm); 3—true leaves (>5mm). (2) Substrate coverage: 1—low; 2—good; 3—excessive. (3) Substrate uniformity: 1—not uniform in the centre; 2—uniform; 3—not uniform along the side. Significance: **, and * respectively for p ≤ 0.01, and p ≤ 0.05; NS, not significant. Means values (± standard deviation) within each column and main effect followed by different letters are significantly different, according to SNK test (p = 0.05).