Hydroponic production of Chinese water chestnut corms for potential use as a functional vegetable

Authors: Morris, John - Brad

Submitted to: Seed Technology Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/3/2017
Publication Date: 12/8/2017
Citation: Morris, J.B. 2017. Hydroponic production of Chinese water chestnut corms for potential use as a functional vegetable. Seed Technology Journal. 38(2):133-140.

Interpretive Summary: Chinese water chestnut corms are used as a vegetable. This species produces very few seed and fewer healthy corms when grown in flooded sand. A study was done to verify the use of hydroponics for successful corm production. Six Chinese water chestnut accessions were grown in a hydroponic system inside a greenhouse at Griffin, GA. One corm from each Chinese water chestnut plant were placed in a hydroponic system and in pots containing flooded sand during the Spring and Summer of 2013 and 2014. After about 210 days, the plants produced very healthy corm numbers ranging from 102 to 241 and weighed between 429 and 476 g in hydroponics. Only 47 to 49 corms weighing between 77 and 224 g were produced in pots containing flooded sand. Hydroponics is useful for producing quality corm numbers and weights from these Chinese water chestnut accessions.

Technical Abstract: Chinese water chestnut is used as a canned or raw vegetable worldwide. The accessions in the USDA, ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit do not produce very many or healthy corms when grown in plastic pots containing flooded sand in Griffin, GA. This study was conducted to use a drip irrigating hydroponic system for maximizing high quality corm production from normally low corm producing accessions. Five Chinese water chestnut accessions were planted in a drip irrigated hydroponic system inside a greenhouse at Griffin, GA during 2013 and 2014. One mature corm per accession was planted in buckets containing perlite within the hydroponic system during the spring and summer of 2013 and 2014, respectively. After approximately 210 days, the number of corms were harvested, counted and weighed. Significantly more corms (ranging from 102 – 241) and weights (ranging from 429 – 476 g) were produced in the drip irrigated hydroponic system when compared to the flooded sand method where corm numbers ranged from 47 – 49 weighing 77 – 224 g for all accessions during both years. Individual accession effects were detected for both live number and weight of corms when the drip irrigated produced corms were compared to those grown in flooded sand. Principal component analysis indicated that both principal components were correlated the same for corm production traits. Cluster analysis grouped all accessions into well-defined phenotypes based on corm production. Drip irrigated hydroponics was successful in maximizing corm production for regeneration.