Natural sourced and non-toxic hybrid materials for boosting the growth of lettuce in a hydroponic system

Nanostructured hybrid materials, fabricated by combining nanosilica (n-S) obtained from rice husk and oligochitosan (OC) obtained from the shrimp shell, are environmentally friendly substances that can applied in green agriculture. In this study, 50 mg/L of nanostructured hybrid materials were applied on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia) at different stages of its growth. Most of the hybrid-material-treated lettuce plants showed better growth than that of the control. The most suitable ages for applying the hybrid material to the lettuce are the ages of three weeks (H3W1) and four weeks (H4W1) to stimulate their growth. The longest leaf of the H3W1-treated lettuce increased by 7.14%, its fresh weight by 8.51%, the numbers of leaves by 4.67%, and the content of total chlorophyll by 24.89% compared with those of the control lettuce. The longest leaf of H4W1 increased by 9.52%, its fresh weight by 26.27%, the number of leaves by 9.52%, and the total chlorophyll content by 52.87% compared with those of the control lettuce. Hence, the hybrid material could be used as a green agrochemical with a great potential in modern agriculture. It can help replace and reduce the use of toxic chemical fertilizers and plant-protection products currently used on the market.