Potential of Pine Bark to Replace Perlite in Coir-Based Substrates: Effects on Nutrient Uptake, Growth, and Phytochemicals in Lettuce Under Two Salinity Levels

Abstract

Enhancing the sustainability of growing media is an important objective in soilless vegetable cultivation. Here, we evaluated the potential of pine bark to replace perlite in coir-based substrates for lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. ‘Godzilla’) cultivation. The experiment followed a factorial design with two coir-based substrate blends—one amended with perlite and the other with pine bark—and two nutrient solution EC levels (1.5 ± 0.2 and 2.5 ± 0.2 dS m→1). The plants were cultivated in Styrofoam containers containing a substrate mix of 80% coir, 12% compost, and 8% perlite or pine bark (v/v). Replacing perlite with pine bark did not affect leaf macronutrient concentrations but increased leaf Fe and B levels. Increasing the EC of the nutrient solution increased leaf N, P, and K, with a significant rise in nitrogen. The substitution of perlite with pine bark in coir-based substrates did not affect leaf dry weight, head fresh weight, or chlorophyll content, total phenols, ascorbic acid, or proline, even under different salinity levels. The findings indicate the pine bark is an alternative to perlite, supporting comparable agronomic and quality outcomes in lettuce. Further research is recommended to confirm these results in crops with longer growing cycles.