Agricultural development and farming techniques are slowly evolving worldwide. New technologies are getting introduced to farm systems for making them more efficient, sustainable, and innocuous. Moreover, the agricultural development in developing countries like India is also at a fast pace. Since India needs to feed a large population with minimum environmental hazards, modern farming techniques act as a supporting system.
Our agriculture systems are slowly moving towards some novel yet beneficial concepts to tackle the situation. While some farming techniques grow crops on vertical racks, others don’t require any soil for growing the crops. Yes, you read it right! There are modern farming techniques that don’t need soil for growing crops.
Hydroponics is a Latin word that means “working water.” It is the technique through which we grow the crops without the use of soil. So, here water is the medium through which the plants obtain their nutrients and hydration. So, let us learn more about hydroponics!
What is hydroponics?
Hydroponics is the technique to grow crops without the presence of soil. Here, water is the medium on which the crops grow and obtain their nutrient requirement.
When we carefully look at the equation of photosynthesis, what do we observe?
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
The equation consists of oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, and glucose. But is there any mention of soil? No. It proves that a plant doesn’t necessarily need soil for growing, and hydroponics is a practical method.
Hydroponics requirements:
The basic requirements for hydroponics are the same as conventional farming, but there is an exception for soil.
- Freshwater
- Oxygen
- Root support
- Nutrients
- Light
High yields
Plants grown in well-maintained hydroponic systems live healthier lives. Since the roots are full of all the nutrients they need, the plants spend a lot of time climbing to the top and a little time and energy growing extensive root systems in search of food. Growth rate varies depending on system type and cares quality, but hydro plants can grow up to 25 per cent faster than similar plants grown in the soil, with increased crop yields to begin.
Fewer resources
Hydroponic systems use less water than traditional ground-based systems. This is because closed systems are not below the same evaporation levels. Also, the water used in hydroponic systems can be filtered, replenished with nutrients, and returned to plants so that water can be renewed regularly instead of wasted! At Vertical Roots, our systems use up to 98 per cent of water under traditional ground-based systems.