Inno. Farm., 2(1): 49-51,, 2017 Thakur et al., 2017 www.innovativefarming.

in

Innovative Farming
-An
An International Journal of Agriculture

Popular Article

HYDROPONICS: AN ALTERNATIVE TOOL FOR GROWING CROPS

KEYWORDS: ABSTRACT
Hydroponics, Soil-based
based agriculture is facing some major challenges with the advent of civilization
Aeroponics, Nutrient all over the world, such as decrease per capita land availability. Apart from this, due
film technique to rapid urbanization and industrialization as well as threats from climate changechang and
its related adverse effect, the land cultivation is going to further facing challenging
ARTICLE INFO threats. Under such circumstances, in the near future it becomes intricate to feed the
Received on: entire population using the production from soil field system. Hydroponics (soilless
24.02.17 culture) techniques involve producing crops in nutrient solution with a sterile media
Revised on: to support the roots. Hydroponics growing uses mineral nutrient solutions to feed the
07.03.17 plants in water, without soil. The nutrient solutions usually contain micronutrients,
micr
Accepted on: secondary and trace nutrients. Soilless culture is the fastest growing sector of
08.03.17 agriculture, and it could be impetus to food production in the future.
Introduction use of spaghnum peat, vermiculite, or bark chips.
Soil is usually the most available growing medium for Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method
plants. It provides anchorage, nutrients, air, water, etc. of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in
for plant growth (Ellis et al., 1974). However, soils do water, without soil.. Terrestrial plants may be grown
pose serious limitations for plant growth too, at times. with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or
Some of them are presence of disease causing in an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel.
organisms and nematodes, unsuitable soil reaction, Soilless illess culture is an artificial means of providing plants
unfavorable
able soil compaction, poor drainage, degradation with support and a reservoir for nutrients and water. The
due to erosion etc. Soilless culture is the technique of simplest and oldest method for soilless culture is a
growing plants in soil-less
less condition with their roots vessel of water in which inorganic chemicals are
immersed in nutrient solution (Maharana and Koul, dissolved to supply all of the nutrients nutrien that plants
2004). When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in require. Often called solution culture or water culture,
water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the the method was originally termed hydroponics (i.e., (
required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's "water working") by W. F.Gericke in the 1930s. 1930s
water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for History: The hanging garden of Babylon is also a fine
the plant to thrive. The simplest and oldest method for example of soilless culture. In India, Hydroponics was
soilless culture is a vessel of water in which inorganic introduced in year 1946 by an English scientist, W. J.
chemicals are dissolved to supply the nutrients that Shalto Duglas and he established a laboratory in
plants require. Various modifications of pure-solution
pure Kalimpong area, West Bengal. He written a book on
culture have occurred in the past. The retention of Hydroponics,
ydroponics, named as Hydroponics The Bengal
nutrients and water can be further improved through the System.

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 Inno. Farm., 2(1): 49-51, 2017 Thakur et al., 2017 www.innovativefarming.in

Why do the grower turn to Soilless culture? is normally turned on for only a few seconds every 2.3
• The difficulty and cost of controlling soil borne minutes. This is sufficient to keep roots moist and the
pests and diseases. nutrient solution aerated. An apparent disadvantage of
• Soil salinity. such a system is uneven growth resulting from
• Lack of fertile soil. variations in light intensity on the inclined crops. An
• Water shortage. advantage of this technique for lettuce or spinach
• Banding of using Methyl Bromide. production is that twice as many plants may be
• Controlling the root environments. accommodated per unit of floor area as in other systems
• Increasing water use efficiency. Principle of soil less media: In principle the soilless
Classification: Soilless culture systems are classified medium is a substrate that is part of an artificial system
of cultivation in which plants are grown without soil.
according to the type of substrate (soilless medium) they
The medium provides plants with physical support,
use, how the nutrient solution is delivered to the plants
regulates the water flow, serves as reservoir of nutrients
(drip irrigation, flowing or stagnant nutrient solution)
and what happens to the solution after it drains away and permits gas exchange to and from the roots.
such as open (free drain) or closed (recirculating water). Crops which can be grown in soil-less culture
Soilless media can be inorganic (e.g. sand, gravel, • Vegetables - Tomato, Chilli, Brinjal, Green
pebbles, perlite, rock wool, vermiculite), organic (e.g. bean, Beet, Bell pepper, Cabbage,
rice hulls, peat, sawdust, straw, coconut coir) or Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Melons, Radish,
synthetic (e.g. foam ship, sponges, moisture absorbent Onion, Lettuce
plastic fibre). • Condiments - Parsley, Mint, basil
The medium for soilless culture should have • Flower / Ornamental crops - Marigold, Rose,
following characteristics: Carnations, Chrysanthemum
• Provide structural support for the plant. • Medicinal crops - Aloe vera, Coleus
• Regulate water flow. • Fruits – Strawberry
• Serve as reservoir of nutrients.
(Source: Singh and Singh, 2012)
• Provide a healthy environment for the plant
grow in.
Advantages of hydroponics
Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
• High density planting
NFT, (Nutrient film technique), is a technique for
• Maximum crop yield earlier maturity and rapid
cultivation in water in which the plants grow with heir
turn over of crops
root system within a sheet or opaque plastic, through
which the nutrient solution is continuously circulated. • Crop production where no suitable soil exists
The plastic forms tubes that are closed around each • Freedom from the constraints of ambient
plant, and clipped together. At the base of the plastic, temperatures and seasonality,
below the plant, a thin sheet of rock wool is placed as • More effective use of water and fertilizers.
capillary mulch. This ensures that none of the plants • Minimal use of land area
dries out in the early phases of growth, while leaving • Suitable for mechanised production and plant
most of the roots exposed, allowing good aeration. The protection.
roots grow freely and are mainly located at the bottom • Isolation of the crop from the underlying soil
of the plastic tube, in direct contact with the solution. which may have problems associated with
Aeroponics: In an unusual application of closed nematodes disease, weeds, salinity, alkalinity,
system hydroponics, plants are grown in holes in panels poor structure and drainage.
of expanded polystyrene or other material. The plant • Soil containing harmful microbes is not used
roots are suspended in midair beneath the panel and and hence the produce is healthy, fresh and
enclosed in a spraying box. The box is sealed so that nutrition.
the roots are in darkness (to inhibit algal growth) and in • No hazards of continuous cropping.
saturation humidity. A misting system sprays the • Production of crops during off-season and also
nutrient solution over the roots periodically. The system throughout the year.

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 Inno. Farm., 2(1): 49-51, 2017 Thakur et al., 2017 www.innovativefarming.in

• Produce of vegetables grown in hydroponic barren and sterile areas can be made productive at lower
system are free from paffiness (due to Ca and cost. As a conclusion, soilless farming has benefits if
K deficiency) and therefore possess better shelf compared to soil culture. The industry is expected to
life and long distance transport. grow exponentially also in future, as conditions of soil
Disadvantages of hydroponics are: growing becoming difficult. The application of a
• High costs of capital and energy inputs relative soilless culture system using artificial substrates would
to conventional open-field agriculture (OFA). result in efficient and effective use of water and
• It requires more capital investment than soil fertilizers and minimize the use of chemicals for pest
cultivation. and disease control.
• The nutrients have to be mixed in water and References
applied to plants. Ellis, N.K., M. Jensen, J. Larsen, and N. Oebker. 1974.
• Some water borne borne disease can spread Nutriculture Systems—Growing Plants
rapidly in circulating system. Without Soil. Station Bulletin No. 44. Purdue
• High degree of competence in plant science University, Lafayette, Indiana
and engineering skills required for successful Maharana, L., and D.N. Koul. 2011. The emergence of
operations. Hydroponics. Yojana, 55: 39-40.
Conclusion Singh, S. and B.S. Singh. 2012. Hydroponics – A
Soil less farming or hydroponics enables crop to be technique for cultivation of vegetables and
grown closer tone another which maximize land area. It medicinal plants. In. Proceedings of 4th Global
is found to be effective to the outputs of the crops. It has conference on Horticulture for Food, Nutrition
advantages and disadvantages. The advantages can and Livelihood Options, Bhubaneshwar,
conserve our environment. It provides regular and Odisha, India. P. 220.
abundant supply of fresh greens can be produced and

How to cite this article?

Omesh Thakur, Savita Patel, Dileshwari,

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