Microgreens - biologically complete product of the XXI century

Abstract

Microgreens are a new functional food crop that can facilitate adaptation to urbanization and global climate change, and improve human health. The research was carried out in 2021 at the Department of Landscape Architecture of the Kuzbass State Agricultural Academy. The aim of the research was to study the technology of cultivation of microgreens of the Brassicaceae family on an aqueous substrate. The objects of research were the seeds of cultivated plants of the Brassicaceae family: Brassica oleracea Broccoli Group broccoli or asparagus, Fortuna, Raphanus sativus radish, Violetta, Lepidium sativum, watercress, Dansky, and Eruca versicaria, arugula, Sicily. It was revealed that microgreens can be obtained from seeds of the Brassicaceae family in 6-12 days. Such a product does not have time to accumulate harmful substances from the atmosphere in a short period of time. When growing microgreens, it is not necessary to use mineral fertilizers, pesticides and, thus, it is possible to obtain environmentally friendly, biologically useful products with low material costs. It was found that, depending on the seeds of the studied crops and their genotype, the cycle of growing microgreens lasts from 6 to 10 days after germination. Depending on the type of culture, the sprouts reached a height of 5-10 cm. The laboratory germination rate was 96-98%.