Vol. 9, Special Issue 12, Part I (2025)

Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.) has been identified as an important crop due to its exceptionally high levels of proteins, chlorophyll, and phenolic compounds. The purpose of this research was to assess the effect of three types of growing mediums; soil, river sand and hydroponics on physiological and biochemical responses in four wheatgrass genotypes (WH-1063, HPYT-481, P40017, and P40005) and determine if the hydroponic method would enhance the growth of wheatgrass and its antioxidant properties through improved availability and uptake of nutrients. Among the tested media, hydroponics produced the highest seedling length (21.63 ± 1.70 cm), chlorophyll content (38.10 ± 1.69 SPAD), fresh weight (183.62 ± 2.08 mg), dry weight (44.28 ± 1.43 mg), and seed vigor indices, particularly in WH-1063 and P40017. Seedlings grown on soil had higher amounts of crude protein (13.36±0.06%) and minerals than those grown in river sand, but river sand provided for better aeration which led to better seed germination (84.66±0.58%). The antioxidant activity of hydroponically-cultivated wheatgrass (TPC, DPPH, ABTS and FRAP) showed significant differences between hydroponically and non-hydroponically grown wheatgrass, which would suggest increased secondary metabolisms with controlled nutrient levels. Genotype WH-1063 showed consistent superiority over all other genotypes for each measured trait, which suggests a higher degree of genotype-medium interaction. These results provide a physiological foundation for optimizing wheatgrass production and indicate that hydroponics is an effective method for producing high quality, nutrient-dense wheatgrass while soils remain important for enhancing protein and minerals in wheatgrass.