Assessment of the performance and economics of spinach (spinicia oleracea) in the aquaponics system.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the performance and economics of spinach (Spinicia oleracea) in the aquaponics system. The objectives of the study were to: determine the physico-chemical water quality fed into the hydroponics system, determine the growth of spinach using, estimate the productivity of spinach plants over a growth cycle, and determine the economic costs in terms land area requirement and investment cost of a establishing an aquaponics system. Three 5L plastic containers and a 10L water tank were used for vegetable bed spinach and sampled weekly. Results revealed that the water quality of monitored parameters was 30.55±22.94 o C, 2.29±1.56 mg/L,7.0±6.4, 203±111µS/cm and 111±74 mg/L were recorded as temperature, DO, PH, Electrical Conductivity and total dissolved solids respectively while nutrient concentration was 18.67±8.5 mg/L, 1.9±0.11mg/L, 0.35±0.29 mg/L and 0.35±0.29 mg/L for soluble reactive Phosphorus, ammonium nitrate, nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen respectively. The average plant height and leaf breadth recorded were 7.0 ± 4.0 cm and 3.5 ± 0.1 cm respectively. The total production of spinach was high estimated at 0.73 tons/ha/42 day. These results suggest potential application of the aquaponics to supplement food production especially in high density areas likely in urban and peri-urban centres.