Comparing Sources of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Growth in Sunflower Microgreens

Abstract

Sunflower microgreens are an important protein source and essential amino acids, but the production of microgreens still has a very low potential. Because of the nutrients that the plant needs are not added to the production of microgreens. In this study, sunflowers were grown with coconut coir and fertilizers were sprayed with seven different nitrogen nutrient solutions (monoammonium phosphate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, urea, and monosodium glutamate). Fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, and xanthophyll were assessed and microgreens were grown for seven days. The results showed that the sunflower microgreens sprayed with deionized water showed fresh weight, dry weight and contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids and xanthophyll not different with other nitrogen source treatments. Therefore, the result of this study indicates that nitrogen sources (26.5 mM N) did not affect fresh weight, dry weight and the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids and xanthophyll in sunflower microgreens.