Effect of Growing Media and Seed Density on Yield, Nutritional Quality, and Nitrate Content of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) Microgreens

FAROOQ AHMAD KHAN; Insha Mushtaq; Sajad Ahmad Bhat; Sumati Narayan; Imtiyaz Murtaza; Nayar Afaq Kirmani; Zaffar Mahdi Dar; Shakil Ahmad Mir; Saddam Hussain; Astha; Uzma Waqas Khan

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i6.171592

Authors

FAROOQ AHMAD KHAN SKUAST-Kashmir
Insha Mushtaq
Sajad Ahmad Bhat
Sumati Narayan
Imtiyaz Murtaza
Nayar Afaq Kirmani
Zaffar Mahdi Dar
Shakil Ahmad Mir
Saddam Hussain
Astha
Uzma Waqas Khan

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i6.171592

Abstract

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) microgreens are increasingly recognized as functional foods owing to their high bioactive and nutritional value. This study examined the interactive effect of growing media (soil, cocopeat, sawdust, bioplus, and soil + vermicompost) and seed densities (20, 25, and 30 g tray⁻¹; 200 sq. inch) on yield, seedling traits, and nutritional quality parameters. Results revealed that cocopeat exhibited the highest germination percentage (85.65%) and seedling vigor index (592.08), in addition to the fastest establishment (9.8 days to one true leaf). Fresh yield was maximized at 25 g seed density (7358 g m⁻²), particularly under cocopeat, which also reduced nitrate accumulation (655.86 mg kg⁻¹ FW) compared with soil or vermicompost treatments. Moisture content (~93%) and ash percentage (~0.4-0.5%) showed minimal variation across treatments. The combination of cocopeat and 25 g seed density yielded the best balance between productivity, nitrate safety, and nutritional stability. These results emphasize that substrate type and seed density are critical determinants of microgreen nutritional quality and consumer safety, offering valuable insights for functional food applications and safe dietary intake.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdul-Baki A A and Anderson J D. (1973). Vigor determination in soybean seed by multiple criteria. Crop Science 13: 630-33.

Amitrano C, Paglialunga G, Battistelli A, De Micco V, Del Bianco M, Liuzzi G, Moscatello S, Paradiso R, Proietti S, Rouphael Y and De Pascale S. (2023). Defining growth requirements of microgreens in space cultivation via biomass production, morpho-anatomical and nutritional traits analysis. Front Plant Sci 14: 1190945.

AOAC. (2000). Official Methods of Analysis, 17th edn. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC, USA.

Arya K S and Kutty M S. (2022). Influence of seed treatment and growing media on six species of microgreens. J Food Sci Nutr 5(2): 106-12.

Barcelos C, Machado R M A, Alves-Pereira I, Ferreira R and Bryla D R. (2016). Effects of substrate type on plant growth and nitrogen and nitrate concentration in spinach. Int J Plant Biol 7: 6325.

Black C A. (1965). Methods of Soil Analysis, Part I. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

Cataldo D A, Haroon M, Schrader L E and Youngs V L. (1975). Rapid colorimetric determination of nitrate in plant tissue by nitration of salicylic acid. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 6: 71-80.

Di Gioia F, De Bellis P, Mininni C, Santamaria P and Serio F. (2017). Physicochemical, agronomical and microbiological evaluation of alternative growing media for the production of rapini (Brassica rapa L.) microgreens. J Sci Food Agric 97: 1212-19.

Di Gioia F, Hong J C, Pisani C, Petropoulos S A, Bai J and Rosskopf E N. (2023). Yield performance, mineral profile and nitrate content in a selection of seventeen microgreen species. Front Plant Sci 14: 1220691.

Gomez K A and Gomez A A. (1984). Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research, 2nd edn. John Wiley and Sons, New York, USA.

Hussain S, Khan F A, Dar Z M, Narayan S, Khan F U and Khan M A. (2025). Nutritional, phytochemical and microbial changes in leafy greens across developmental stages. Int J Res Agron 8(7): 350-57.

ISTA. (2018). International Rules for Seed Testing. International Seed Testing Association, Bassersdorf, Switzerland.

Khan F A, Dar Z M, Dey P, Khan F U, Amir M, Moinuddin, Kumar D, Mushtaq I, Narayan S and Hussain S. (2024). Microgreens: A new class of vegetable with superfood potential. Am J Biomed Sci Res 24(1): 3151.

Khan F A, Dar Z M, Mushtaq I, Hussain S, Anwar A, Amir M, Dey P and Waqas U. (2025a). Microgreens as a potential food for nutritional security in the rural-urban continuum - a review. SKUAST J Res 27(2): 151-64.

Khan U W, Khan F A, Hussain S, Narayan S, Mushtaq I, Mir S A and Bharti N. (2025b). Effect of nutrient strength and Trichoderma bio-priming on the nutritional composition of hydroponically grown mustard microgreens. Int J Res Agron 8(9): 131-36.

Khatoon S and Singh M. (2022). Impact of various substrates on the physicochemical properties of radish microgreens. Ann Phytomed 11(2): 591-96.

Kyriacou M C, De Pascale S, Kyratzis A and Rouphael Y. (2017). Microgreens as a component of space life support systems: A cornucopia of functional food. Front Plant Sci 8: 1587.

Kyriacou M C, El-Nakhel C, Pannico A, Graziani G, Soteriou G A, Giordano M, Palladino M, Ritieni A, De Pascale S and Rouphael Y. (2020). Phenolic constitution, phytochemical and macronutrient content in three species of microgreens as modulated by natural fiber and synthetic substrates. Antioxidants 9(3): 252.

Nazarian H. (2022). Growing in sawdust: Alternative planting medium in vertical farming. Cademix Institute of Technology. Available at: https://www.cademix.org/growing-in-sawdust-alternative-planting-medium-in-vertical-farming/ (Accessed 7 Sept, 2025).

Paglialunga G, El Nakhel C, Proietti S, Moscatello S, Battistelli A, Formisano L, Ciriello M, Del Bianco M, De Pascale S and Rouphael Y. (2023). Substrate and fertigation management modulate microgreens production, quality and resource efficiency. Front Sustain Food Syst 7: 1222914.

Pathania P, Katoch V, Sandal A and Sharma N. (2022). Role of substrate media in growth and development of selected microgreens. Biol Forum Int J 14(3): 1357-61.

Piper C S. (1966). Soil and Plant Analysis. Hans Publishers, Bombay, India.

Poudel P, Duenas A E K and Di Gioia F. (2023). Organic waste compost and spent mushroom compost as potential growing media components for the sustainable production of microgreens. Front Plant Sci 14: 1229157.

Seth T, Mishra G P, Chattopadhyay A, Deb Roy P, Devi M, Sahu A, Sarangi S K, Mhatre C S, Lyngdoh Y A, Chandra V, Dikshit H K and Nair R M. (2025). Microgreens: Functional food for nutrition and dietary diversification. Plants 14(4): 526.

Sinchana S S, Revanna M L, Swamy T S M and Vijayalaxmi K G. (2024). Optimizing soilless media for superior microgreen production and sensory acceptance. J Sci Res Rep 30(12): 640-47.