Greener Growth: Fertilizers and Runoff in Microgreens

Overview

Fertilizers are essential for crop production, but excess nutrients can enter waterways through runoff and contribute to environmental pollution. The objective of this study was to determine how fertilizer type affects both microgreen growth and runoff water quality. Radish microgreens were grown in nine trays using three treatments: organic fish fertilizer, synthetic NPK fertilizer, and water as a control. Each treatment included three replicate trays grown under identical conditions for seven days using paper grow mats. Plant growth was measured using fresh weight and average height. Runoff water collected from each tray was tested for nitrate concentration and pH to evaluate potential environmental impact. Results showed that synthetic fertilizer produced the greatest plant growth, with an average fresh weight of 38.0 g and an average height of 2.7 cm. Fish fertilizer produced lower growth (24.3 g average fresh weight) but resulted in moderate nitrate runoff levels (8 ppm). The water control produced moderate growth but had the lowest nitrate concentration (1.7 ppm). Synthetic fertilizer produced the highest nitrate runoff (26 ppm) and slightly lower pH levels compared to the other treatments. These results suggest that fertilizer type influences both crop productivity and water quality. While synthetic fertilizer maximized plant growth, it also increased the risk of nutrient pollution. Organic fertilizer reduced nitrate runoff but resulted in lower plant growth, highlighting the trade-off between agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Earth & Environmental Sciences (Track 2) (Junior Division) · Entry J-09-01

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