Variabilities in alkaloid concentration of Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br in response to different soilless growing media and fertigation regimes in hydroponics

This study was designed to investigate the variations in alkaloid concentrations of Sceletium tortuosum when grown in soilless mediums under different fertigation regimes and to examine the suitability of the plant for hydroponic cultivation. A mother plant obtained from Verve Dynamics (Pty) Ltd (a manufacturer and supplier of purified botanical extracts) was cultivated into three hundred plants used for this research study. Twenty treatments were evaluated with 15 sample replicates. Treatments were made up of 4 different soilless growing media, namely: pure silica sand, 50% silica sand with 50% coco-peat, 50% silica sand with 50% vermiculite, and 50% silica sand with 50% perlite. These growing media were tested in conjunction with 5 different fertigation regimes (FR). Plants grown in FR1 received aqueous nutrient solution once every week, FR2 received aqueous nutrient solution once every second week, FR3 received aqueous nutrient solution once every third week, FR4 received aqueous nutrient solution once every fourth week and FR5 received aqueous nutrient solution once every fifth week respectively. Results from this experiment showed that different soilless growing media and fertigation had varying effects on alkaloid concentrations in S. tortuosum. It was also observed that roots contained higher amounts of delta 7 mesembrenone and mesembrenone, while shoots contained higher amounts of the alkaloid mesembrine.