Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers

Svyatoslav Loskutov; Jan Puhalsky; Oleg Bukhantsev; Anatoly Osipov

doi:10.55186/25876740_2026_69_5_709

VAK Russia 4.1.1 UDC 631.589.2 UDC 631.867 UDC 633.11

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ANALYSIS OF GROWTH AND BIOCHEMISTRY OF WHEAT MICROGREENS IN HYDROPONICS CULTURE WITH THE APPLICATION OF ORGANIC AND MINERAL FERTILIZERS Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers

АА Аа

Published in INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL · Issue 5, 2026 · Pages 709–714 · Rubric: Scientific support and management of agrarian and industrial complex

DOI: https://doi.org/10.55186/25876740_2026_69_5_709

Received: 19.06.2026 Accepted: 04.08.2026 Published: 14.09.2026

Authors

Svyatoslav Loskutov

ORCID Scopus ResearcherID SPIN

Jan Puhalsky

ORCID Scopus ResearcherID SPIN

Oleg Bukhantsev

ORCID Scopus ResearcherID SPIN

Anatoly Osipov

ORCID Scopus SPIN

Svyatoslav Loskutov

Academic degree: candidate of agricultural sciences

All-Russian Research Institute for Food Additives – a branch of V.M. Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems head of the laboratory · laboratory of industrial biotechnological innovations · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

ORCID Scopus ResearcherID SPIN

Jan Puhalsky

All-Russian Research Institute for Food Additives – a branch of V.M. Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems researcher · laboratory of industrial biotechnological innovations · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

ORCID Scopus ResearcherID SPIN

Oleg Bukhantsev

Academic degree: candidate of sciences in biology

All-Russian Research Institute for Food Additives – a branch of V.M. Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems researcher · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

ORCID Scopus ResearcherID SPIN

Anatoly Osipov

Academic degree: doctor of agricultural sciences

Science rang: professor

Agrophysical Research Institute chief researcher · department of chemical melioration and experimental work · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

ORCID Scopus SPIN

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L., BSF) zoohumas extract and its combination with mineral fertilizer Tripart on the growth and biochemical composition of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) microgreens in hydroponic culture. A 10-day experiment was conducted in a closed grow tent with four treatments: control (water), Tripart 100%, 0.33% alkaline BSF zoohumas extract (ZH), and a mixed variant (70% Tripart + 30% ZH). Elemental composition of green biomass was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES, ICPE-9000); amino acid profile was determined by capillary electrophoresis. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical clustering. Plants grown on mineral and organic backgrounds significantly exceeded the control in shoot biomass. Total content of 13 elements in the ZH variant (5929 mg/kg DW) was statistically comparable to Tripart (5924 mg/kg DW) and significantly exceeded the control (3521 mg/kg DW). The mixed variant provided maximum accumulation of iron (+68% vs. control), zinc (+68%), magnesium, and copper due to the chelating effect of ZH humic acids. The total amino acid pool increased as follows: control (19.98 mg/g DW) < ZH (28.44 mg/g DW) < Tripart (33.69 mg/g DW) < 70%+30% (36.89 mg/g DW); the ZH variant specifically elevated tyrosine and arginine contents. Highly significant inter-treatment differences were found for all 30 biochemical parameters (p < 0.001). PCA identified two independent variation vectors: a general nutrient gradient (PC1) and organic nutrition specificity (PC2). A combined nutrient solution (70% Tripart + 30% BSF zoohumas extract) is recommended for hydroponic wheat microgreens production, providing the highest overall product quality with a 30% reduction in industrial mineral fertilizer use.

KEYWORDS

microgreens, wheat, yield, amino acids, mineral composition

Funding

The work was carried out within the framework of the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (FGUS 2024-0010).

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GOST

Loskutov S. I., Puhalsky J. V., Bukhantsev O. V., Osipov A. I. Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers // INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 2026. no. 5. pp. 709-714. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55186/25876740_2026_69_5_709. (Date of access 31.10.2026).

MLA

Svyatoslav Loskutov, Puhalsky J. V., Bukhantsev O. V., Osipov A. I.. "Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers." INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL.5 (2026): 709-714. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55186/25876740_2026_69_5_709.

APA

Loskutov S. I., Puhalsky J. V., Bukhantsev O. V., Osipov A. I. (2026). Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers. INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL(5), 709-714. https://doi.org/10.55186/25876740_2026_69_5_709

Chicago

Svyatoslav Loskutov, Puhalsky J. V., Bukhantsev O. V., Osipov A. I.. "Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers." INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, no. 5 (2026): 709-714. https://doi.org/10.55186/25876740_2026_69_5_709.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Loskutov S. I., Puhalsky J. V., Bukhantsev O. V., Osipov A. I. | title = Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers | journal = INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL | year = 2026 | issue = 5 | pages = 709-714 | doi = 10.55186/25876740_2026_69_5_709 }}

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ANALYSIS OF GROWTH AND BIOCHEMISTRY OF WHEAT MICROGREENS IN HYDROPONICS CULTURE WITH THE APPLICATION OF ORGANIC AND MINERAL FERTILIZERS Analysis of growth and biochemistry of wheat microgreens in hydroponics culture with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers

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