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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Characteristics and Origin of the Study

Lettuce is the term of any plants of the genus Lactuca of the flowering

plant family Asteraceae and especially refers to plants of the commercially

important species Lactuca sativa. The term lettuce also is used to refer to the

edible, succulent leaves of L. sativa, which commonly are eaten raw in salads,

but also may be eaten cooked. L. sativa is the most commonly used salad

vegetable (Katz and Weaver 2003)

Lettuce provides values for the ecosystem and for humans.

Ecologically, the wild and cultivated forms of lettuce provide food for diverse

animals, including insects (such as the larvae of some Lepidoptera), rabbits,

and deer. Thus, the lettuce plants are foundational for food chains. In terms of

humans, the cultivated lettuce plants are eaten, whether cold and raw as

typical in some countries (in salads, hamburgers, etc.) or cooked as typical in

countries such as China. Although generally considered a poor source of

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nutrients, lettuce does provide many of the same nutrients as other green

vegetables, albeit mostly in smaller amounts (Katz and Weaver 2003). Its low

calories make it a popular diet food. There also is some medicinal use

attributed to lettuce, including ingredients considered useful as a sleep inducer

and sedative.(Katz and Weaver 2003)

According to some studies, hydroponic systems for vegetable growing

are necessary to maximize output andboost yield. Although the technical

difficulties of the production are thoroughly investigated and addresses, little

information is known about hydroponic systems influence on fresh vegetables

nutritional status and their quantities of bioactive components. (Aires, A. 2018)

Aside from the obvious benefits to productivity and quality, there are

also environmental advantages to this kind of production because of the

increased efficiency in the use of water and nutrients. There are several well-

studied and tested study fields in soilless cultivation, such as the NO3 control

or the crop quality enhancement by regulating the electric conductivity of the

solution. Sambo, P., Nicoletto, C., Giro, A., Pii, Y., Valentinuzzi, F., Mimmo, T.,

Lugli, P., Orzes, G., Mazzetto, F., Astolfi, S., Terzano, R., & (Cesco, S. 2019)
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Moreover, researchers argued that secondary metabolites could be

formed in hydroponic systems with water recirculation systems, especially

when plants are stressed by osmotic or salt stress, which boosts the natural

bioactive compounds in plants. Another factor that leads to the increased

concentration of bioactive chemicals in these systems is the saturation of light

and temperature by leaf receptors, which are widely utilized in these systems.

This concept helps maximize photosynthesis and consequent glucose

production. (Aires, A. 2018)

Nevertheless, a study concluded that due to leakage, loss,

volatilization, and transpiration, soil-based horticulture has a relatively poor

water and nutrients utilization rate. As a result, there is a growth level of

resource efficiency. There is much evidence that hydroponic systems use

water more effectively than soil-based systems. In contrast to soil-based

systems, nutrient loss and leakage is lower in hydroponics. In general,

hydroponics saves up to 90% of water and nutrients compared to soil growing.

(Boell, M. 2019, April 1)