What is Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a technique used for growing plants without soil. They cultivate plants in nutrient-enriched water with a supply of air and light needed for photosynthesis. We call this particular technique that uses only water, nutrients, and light, geoponics
How it is changing
Centuries ago, it would have been not easy to imagine that we could grow crops without soil. The rich soil has traditionally been an essential requirement for growing plants, but technological advancements in agriculture are changing. Hydroponic systems are challenging traditional soil gardening and may well be the plant-growing systems of the future Types of hydroponic systems
There are different systems farmers employ in hydroponics which we can group into two major categories. They are solution culture types and medium culture types. We examine each category and some of the techniques under it below.
Solution culture types
Aeroponics: in this system, they keep plant roots in an environment where they are regularly supplied with a mist of nutrient solution and air. Aeroponics uses 65% less water than other hydroponics techniques. It also receives more oxygen and encourages faster crop growth. It is unsuitable for every kind of plant and has a high risk of exposure to root disease pathogens Medium culture types Nutrient film technique: this is a popularly used hydroponic system. The nutrient film technique is designed to allow a continuous shallow stream of nutrient solution to flow past the bare roots in water-tight channels. The advantages of this system are that it readily supplies adequate water, oxygen, and nutrients to the plants. The challenges farmers face with this technique are the risk of flooding and dependence on a constant power supply
Soil Alternative
In some situations, a bit of gravel, peat, perlite, rock wool, or sand is used to aerate and support the root system. We refer to these materials as mediums. In such situations, they pump the nutrient solution through the tubes or tanks periodically.
Ebb and flow:
here, they do the growing by using a medium through which farmers pump the nutrient solution. They allow the flow to flood the area and then drain. The solution drains into a reservoir which they reuse almost immediately. This system is the most popular due to its low costs and maintenance. It is most suitable for potted plants and plug production.
Deep Water Culture:
this system is the most simple-to-operate hydroponic system. They suspend the plants in a solution of oxygen and nutrients. It is one of the easiest to maintain and expand. This technique is suitable for growing vegetables.
There are different systems in Hydroponics :
Aqueous or liquid culture:
The root of the plant is constantly in the nutrient solution, and the plant is out of the liquid from the crown (between the root and the stem) and is kept high with plastic or cardboard. In-tube culture is also a type of liquid culture.
Cultivation in the sand:
The roots of plants are inside solids that are less than 3 mm in diameter, and these materials may be such as plastic and rock wool or any other material that is not organic.
Cultivation in pebbles:
The roots of plants are located in materials with a diameter of more than 3 mm, such as thorns, volcanic lava and basalt and any other inorganic matter. In this method, irrigation is done in two ways: tubular (underground) irrigation, in which nutrients are stored in a reservoir and pumped to the plant growth medium, and surface irrigation, where a dilute nutrient solution is spread on the surface of the growth medium by a perforated tube (liquid fertilizer to water).
Cultivation in the air:
In this method, the roots of plants are placed in an environment saturated with water droplets that contain the necessary nutrients. This method requires advanced equipment.
Cultivation in vermiculite:
The root of the plant is located in vermiculite mixed with minerals.
Cultivation in rockwool:
The plant’s roots are placed inside rock wool and minerals that have properties similar to rock wool.
Cultivation in plastic:
The root is inside plastic bags, and the material around the root also includes compost or peat or sawdust.
What is Vertical Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a technique for growing an intelligent farm within a greenhouse. Here, a ‘smart farm’ refers to a soilless, vertical setup that can house a thousand plants and more. A Hydroponics farm may be our best bet for churning out chemical-free produce in less than half the space of actual farmland.
Aeroponics
The second process of vertical farming is aeroponics, through which plants are grown without using any soil (or soil replacement): their roots, hanging down in the air inside a closed container, are exposed to a fine mist of nutrient-laden water, regularly sprayed through a nozzle. While this is a relatively new method for growing edible plants, it is increasingly employed by commercial vertical farms in the U.S. and Canada.
Hybrid Method
A hybrid method, aquaponics, integrates fish production into the hydroponic growing scheme. More precisely, it uses fish waste as a nutrient source for the plants after treatment, operating as a closed-loop ecosystem for indoor farming. However, this system’s complexity and high cost hinder its widespread use.
Can everything be Grown Hydroponically?
Admittedly, indoor farming cannot be expected to fully replace all of the 1.87 billion hectares devoted to crop production. For instance, rice is highly costly to grow indoors, while beef is almost impossible to raise indoors. However, it can become a considerable source of food, decreasing the need for excessive farmland usage. Indeed, other animals such as crustaceans, fish, and poultry can be produced in vertical farms, and cattle food – growing soy indoors could significantly impact deforestation. Even if indoor farming does not fully replace outdoor farming, it may complement the food system facing the increasing pressures of demographic growth and land scarcity.
One of the advantages of Hydroponics system is water conservation:
In places where water scarcity is a problem, hydroponic systems can radically improve water consumption in farming. The hydroponic system uses ten times less water than traditional soil-based farming. This is because it is unlike field crop watering, where water has to be sprayed till the soil absorbs it. In hydroponics, the systems deliver nutrient solutions directly to plant roots. When they pump it through a medium, absorption is not necessary. The water which contains nutrients is recaptured and reused, unlike in traditional farming, where water is allowed to run off into the environment. This eliminates the need to source water resources often.
References:
https://www.aquagardening.com.au/learn/things-you-need-to-know-about-hydroponics/#:~:text=Hydroponics%20is%20a%20method%20of,minerals%20and%20nutrients%20they%20require.
https://smartgardenguide.com/21-amazing-hydroponics-facts-
https://minutehack.com/guides/the-pros-and-cons-of-hydroponic-farming
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-disadvantages-hydroponics.php
https://www.trees.com/gardening-and-landscaping/advantages-disadvantages-of-hydroponics
Petrus Langenhoven (2016) Opportunities in hydroponics. Purdue University.