Effect of CO2 enrichment on the productivity and quality of sunflower (Helianthus annuss) microgreens
Trinitaty Bulan Marito Hutabarat (a*), Acep Purqon (b), Ramadhani Eka Putra(c)

a,c) School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung
b) Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung

Abstract

Increasing CO2 concentration is one of the major environmental problems in recent time. However, increasing amount of CO2 could have a beneficial effect on the certain plants related to the photosynthesis activities. In this study, the effect of CO2 enrichment was observed on the productivity and quality of micro-greens, a new food sources with high health benefit, of sunflowers (Helianthus annuss). The micro-greens were planted with 4 different growth media originated from organic wastes namely P1 (50% compost + 50% cocopeat), P2 (100 % insect frass), P3 (100 % vermicompost), P4 (90% compost + 9% vermicompost + 1% insect frass). The plants divided into two groups, with CO2 enrichment (1000 to 1500 ppm) and without. The result showed that CO2 enrichment improved the germination rate, leaves sizes, plant height, harvested weight, and water and chlorphyll content while plant growth under normal CO2 condition had better Vitamin C content. Among growth media, the best result was recorded in P1 group. Based on the result, it could be concluded that CO2 enrichment improve the productivity and several quality parameters of the sunflowers^ micro-green. This result has the potency to be applied as a baseline information to develop a natural way to reduce the air pollution by means of plant^s photosynthesis and organic waste management.

Keywords: CO2 enrichment, micro-greens, productivity, sunflower

Topic: Energy and Environmental Physics