Nutripool: innovative and sustainable system for Phalaenopsis orchid cultivation

Phalaenopsis orchids are among the most economically important cultivated plants in the global floriculture industry, which integrates advanced technologies to enhance cost savings and promote greater sustainability. In this context, there is a demand for cultivation systems that have a reduced environmental and human health impact, are more adaptable to climate extremes, use fewer limited natural resources. This study aimed to assess and demonstrate the technical potential of a new cultivation system, called Nutripool. The objective of this system is to maintain the fertigation nutrient solution in a large plastic container. The pot containing the substrate and plant is inserted into this container, which keeps the solution containing water and nutrients in direct and continuous contact with the growing substrate. We decided to study different substrates and the presence of a layer of crushed stone at the bottom to facilitate Phalaenopsis orchid cultivation in this system. The experimental design was conducted in a 5 (substrates) x 2 (stone layer) factorial design. The variables analyzed were the physicochemical properties of the substrate and nutrient solution interaction and the vegetative and reproductive development of the plants. The results showed that Nutripool cultivation system favored the Phalaenopsis orchids cultivation, particularly when using sphagnum moss as substrate, that has highest water-holding capacity, intermediary water loss mass and resulted in highest chlorophyll contents in the leaves. Comparing a conventional fertigation system with the Nutripool system, estimates of water and nutrient loss through irrigation demonstrated significant water and fertilizer savings with the Nutripool system, using near 25% of water and fertilizers used under conventional micro-sprinkler conventional fertigation.