NITROGEN AND CALCIUM FERTILIZATION EFFECTS ON YIELD OF SILYBUM MARIANUM L. GAERTN. PRODUCED IN HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS

In two experiments, Silybum marianum L. Gaertn. plants were successfully grown in a bag culture system in a greenhouse. For the first experiment, calcium concentration was altered to produce three nitrogen to calcium ratio treatments. For the second experiment, nitrogen concentration was altered to produce three nitrogen treatments. Ca:N ratio treatments had no effect on seed yield (15 g plant^-1). However, nitrogen treatments had significant effects on both vegetative and seed yield with plants from the highest N treatment (152 mg L^-1) producing the greatest biomass (421 g of pre-anthesis fresh weight per plant) and seed yield (102 g plant^-1). Yields achieved from this production method were higher per plant than those reported in field experiments.