Estudio de la productividad de col (Brassica oleraceae var. capitata) en un sistema hidropónico NFT en la Estación Agropecuaria UTPL

Abstract

Abstract: Vegetable production is one of the main economic activities for small farmers in the Loja canton of Ecuador, as it represents a constant source of income and an important contribution to local food security. This study evaluated cabbage crop yields, comparing the performance of a NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) hydroponic system with the traditional open field planting method, carried out at the UTPL Agricultural Station. To this end, key variables such as takeup, total production, and the benefit/cost (B/C) ratio were analyzed. The results show that open field planting outperformed the NFT hydroponic system. Although there were no significant differences in establishment between the two methods, total cabbage production was higher in the open field. In addition, the B/C economic analysis showed that traditional planting was more profitable, mainly because the NFT system requires a considerable initial investment, which prolongs the time needed to recover implementation costs.