POL-TUR (Experiment 1)

Description of The Experiment

The first experiment of Geo4Food project is a try to implement a novel approach that integrates renewable energy resources into agri-food chain. This experiment incorporated in working package 3 (WP3). The experiment consist on growing lettuce on hydroponic and soil. The independent variable of the experiment are geothermal water and tap water (with nutrient), while the dependent variable are pH, moisture, and temperature. Also, the external variables are air temperature, air humidity. This experiment lasted for 7 weeks (since 23rd of April until 10th of June 2021). Four series of plants, consisting of 5 types of lettuce (Red Lettuce, Butterhead Michalina, Iceberg Beata, Butterhead Bona and Butterhead Justyna) have been used for this part of experiment:

• Hydroponic Experiment – Tap Water: 2 plants from each type of lettuce (10 total),
• Hydroponic Experiment – Geothermal Water: 2 plants from each type of lettuce (10 total),
• Soil Experiment – Tap Water: 6 plants from each type of lettuce (30 total),
• Hydroponic Experiment – Tap Water: 6 plants from each type of lettuce, except for Michalina, of which there was only 5 plants (29 total).

All series are supported by mineral nutrients mixed with water, which allow to maintain constant and healthy growth of the plants.

POL-TUR (Experiment 2)

Description of The Experiment

The second experiment also consist of growing lettuce on hydroponic and soil. The independent variable of the experiment are: 100% treated geothermal water with nutrients, mix of 30% of tap water and 70% treated water with nutrients, and mix of 10% of raw geothermal water with 90% of treated water and nutrients, while the dependent variable are pH, EC, moisture, and temperature. Also, the external variables are air temperature and air humidity. This experiment will last approximately for 6 weeks (10th of June to 22nd of July). There are five types of lettuce on this experiment, named Red Lettuce, Butterhead Michalina, Iceberg Beata, Butterhead Bona and Butterhead Justyna. There are also 3 types of tomatoes, named Malinowy, Faustyna and Samuraj. There are 7 series of plants for this part of experiment:

• Hydroponic Experiment 1st series – 100% treated water, 2 plants from each type of lettuce (10)
• Hydroponic Experiment 2nd series – 10% raw geothermal water and 90% treated water, 2 plants from each type of lettuce (10)
• Hydroponic Experiment 3rd series – 30% tap water water and 70% treated water, 2 plants from each type of lettuce (10)
• Soil Experiment 1st series – 100% treated water, 6 plants from each type of lettuce, except Michalina, which has 4 plants (28)
• Soil Experiment 2nd series – 10% raw geothermal water and 90% treated water, 6 plants from each type of lettuce, except Michalina, which has 4 plants (28)
• Soil Experiment 3rd series – 30% tap water water and 70% treated water, 6 Red lettuces and Lodowa, 5 Bona and Justyna and 4 Michalina (26)
• Soil Experiment 3rd series – 30% tap water water and 70% treated water, 5 tomatoes (Malinowy, Faustyna, Samurai), 2 eggplant and 2 courgette.

Specific tests and interpretations of water and plants samples will be done after finishing this experiment. The final result of the experiment will be some conclusions regarding possibility of using thermal and treated thermal water for agricultural purposes and its influence on growth processes.