Abstract
The performance of foam-formed cellulose substrates developed for lettuce cultivation in hydroponics was investigated. Material development stages were run in parallel with a range of lettuce cultivation campaigns performed to investigate applicability of the fabricated substrates as root supports in hydroponic cultivation of lettuce in a deep-water culture experimental setup. Material composition, original density, and microbial control methods were adjusted based on observed mechanical integrity and degradation resistance of the substrates in cultivations.