Abstract
The development of GREENBOX technology addresses the challenges posed by rapid population growth, which intensifies the demand for agricultural resources essential for cultivating and distributing fresh produce, including arable land, water, and nutrients, to both rural and urban areas. Reclaimed water is treated wastewater that has been purified to a safe level for various non-potable uses, such as irrigation, industrial processes, and landscaping. We were interested in assessing the feasibility of utilizing reclaimed water for lettuce production utilizing GREENBOX technology. This study's primary objective was to conduct a comparative analysis of Lactuca sativa ‘Rex Butterhead’ lettuce production using Reclaimed Water (RW) or treated wastewater supplemented with additional nutrients (Treatment 1) and the standard nutrient solution, made with Reverse Osmosis Water as the control (Treatment 2). The assessment focused on measuring crop biomass (g), productivity (kg . m −2 ) and environmental conditions associated with each nutrient solution to identify any significant differences. Both treatments yielded lettuce well above the anticipated harvest weight of 180 g, indicating their suitability for crop production in urban warehouse settings. The findings of this experiment contribute new scholarship into the feasibility of utilizing various types of wastewaters for hydroponic crop growth. Species used in this study: ‘Rex Butterhead’ lettuce, Latuca sativa L.
