Spatiotemporal changes of nitrate and Vc contents in hydroponic lettuce treated with various nitrogen-free solutions

Abstract

Nowadays, off-season leafy vegetables are generally characterized by low vitamin C (Vc) content and high nitrate accumulation due to low light intensity inner protected systems and high-level nitrogen supply. A glasshouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of three kinds of nitrogen-free solution treatments before harvest on Vc and nitrate contents in expanded leaf blades, expanded leaf petioles and old leaves of hydroponic lettuce. The results showed that using nitrogen-free solutions could decrease nitrate contents of expanded leaf blades, expanded leaf petioles and old leaves, also nitrate contents in above parts reduced increasingly with treatment time extending. In addition, three nitrogen-free solution treatments increased the Vc content of expanded leaf blades instead of expanded leaf petioles and old leaves. There were instead of significant positive correlations between nitrate contents but Vc contents of expanded leaf blades, expanded leaf petioles and old leaves. To conclude, nitrogen disruption treatment before harvest could effectively reduce nitrate contents in edible parts of lettuce, and also improve Vc content in expanded leaf blade.