Abstract
This study evaluated the growth performance of Brassica rapa (Pechay) using two hydroponic treatments: Commercial Hydroponic Solution (CHS) and Fermented Banana Pseudo-Stem Extract (FBPE). Results showed that CHS significantly outperformed FBPE in terms of number of leaves, leaf length, and plant weight, with large effect sizes indicating strong practical differences. Chemical composition analysis revealed that CHS contained higher concentrations of essential nutrients, contributing to its superior performance. However, the cost-benefit analysis demonstrated that FBPE, despite lower yield, had a higher benefit-cost ratio (6.20) compared to CHS (4.45), highlighting its economic viability. These findings suggest that while CHS is more effective for maximizing growth, FBPE offers a promising, low-cost, and sustainable alternative for small-scale hydroponic farming, provided that its formulation and nutrient availability are further optimized.
