Impacts of Hydroponic Stratagem on Growth and Yield Performance Factors in Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)

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@article{1724709,
      author = {Abdullateef, R. A., Ogah, J., Abdullateef, R. M., Yusuf B. C., Mustapha Y.; Patience B.},
      title = {Impacts of Hydroponic Stratagem on Growth and Yield Performance Factors in Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {10},
      number = {5},
      pages = {1763-1777},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1724709.pdf},
      abstract = {Food insecurity in Nigeria is exacerbated by seasonal shifts, high labor demands, and environmental degradation. To address these challenges and close the supply-demand gap for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), this study evaluated a robust, easy-to-operate hydroponic system for year-round cultivation. Two tomato varieties (UC and Ruma) were grown using two systems: a soilless hydroponic setup and a traditional soil-filled potted control under identical environmental conditions. Morphological and reproductive parameters were evaluated using ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests (p < 0.05). Results revealed that while soil-grown plants achieved significantly taller plant heights (Ruma Soil: 35.90 ± 0.13 cm), the hydroponic system dramatically enhanced vegetative and reproductive outcomes. The UC Hydroponic treatment yielded the highest mean number of leaves (32.65 ± 1.10), branches (11.09 ± 0.35), leaf size (13.89 ± 0.28 cm²), and stem girth (1.56 ± 0.03 cm), significantly outperforming all other groups (p < 0.001). Crucially, UC Hydroponics also recorded the highest reproductive metrics, including flower count (8.62 ± 1.08), fruit yield (12.78 ± 2.19), and fruit size (5.41 ± 0.49 cm). Both hydroponic treatments produced larger fruit sizes than their soil-based counterparts. These findings demonstrate that managed soilless cultivation optimizes vegetative growth and significantly enhances fruit traits. Consequently, this system offers a viable path toward year-round agricultural production, economic diversification, and food security in ecologically compromised regions.},
      keywords = {hydroponics; tomato cultivation; soilless agriculture; food security},
      month = {November},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/ire1724709}
  }