Effects of Ar/N2 plasma activated water as a nitrate supplement on the growth of upland water spinach (Ipomoea reptans) using non-circulating hydroponics system

Abstract

Amidst growing food insecurity in the Philippines, hydroponics offers an alternative and sustainable method of farming without soil. This study investigates the use of Plasma-Activated Water (PAW) as a sustainable nitrate supplement to enhance the growth of upland water spinach (Ipomoea reptans)  in non-circulating hydroponic system. PAW was generated by treating distilled water with Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet (APPJ) for different durations (15 and 20 minutes). The study prepared six treatments to evaluate the effects of PAW both with and without a standard nutrient solution. Results indicated that PAW treatments increased fresh yield of upland water spinach by 27%. While improvements in morphological characteristics such as shoot length and number of leaves were not statistically significant, they showed consistent positive trends. The result of the study confirmed that PAW can be a potential nitrate supplement in hydroponic agriculture.