hydroponic crops - role of hydroponic crops in horticulture- pikkividia

                                                     hydroponic crops                      

  DEFINITION :                   

                             Hydroponics is a type of horticulture and a subset of hydroculture, which is a method of growing plants, usually crops, without soil, by using mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent. 

EXAMPLES :

Plants commonly grown hydroponically, on inert media, include  

1)Tomatoes

1)  Peppers

2)  Cucumbers

3)  Strawberries

4)  Lettuces

5)  marijuana 

6)  model plants like Arabidopsis thaliana.

Hydroponics offers many advantages, one of them being a decrease in water usage for agriculture

                              

WHAT IS  Hydroponics  system

                                     Hydroponics is an increasingly popular method of growing plants that uses a nutrient-rich solution with a water base, which means that soil isn’t used at all in a hydroponics system. Instead, the roots of the plants are supported by such substances as peat moss, clay pellets, per lite, and rock wool. When you’re looking to create or use a hydroponic system to grow plants, there are hundreds of variations of hydroponic systems available for you to use. However, there are only six types of hydroponic systems under which all variations are situated.

                                     Each type of hydroponic system works in a different way, which means that all six hydroponic systems have their own distinct pros and cons for you to consider. When you’re getting ready to use a hydroponic system for growing plants, you should know how each system works to fully understand how to use the one that you select. The following offers an extensive and thorough look at the six types of hydroponic systems, which should make it easier for you to determine which system is right for you.

ROLE OF HYDROPONICS IN HORTICULTURE :

                                            In the Horticulture crops production, the definition soilless development includes all the frameworks that give plant creation in soilless conditions in which the stock of water and of minerals is done in supplement arrangements with or without a developing medium (for example stone fleece, peat, perlite, pumice, coconut fiber, and so forth) Soilless culture frameworks, generally known as aquaculture frameworks, can additionally be isolated into open frameworks, where the excess supplement arrangement isn't reused, and shut frameworks, where the abundance stream of supplements from the roots is gathered and reused once more into the framework.

Soilless culture frameworks have developed as one potential answer for stay away from soil-borne sicknesses that have consistently been an issue in the nursery development industry.

 

These days, soilless developing frameworks are normal in agricultural practice in most European nations, albeit not in each nation does this happen for a huge scope.

                     Characteristics of hydroponic system 

                                         

 BENEFITS OF HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS

                       THERE ARE THE MANY BENEFITS OF HYDROPONICS SYSTEM:

· Saves Space. Plants grown in soil need to spread their roots in order to find water and all the nutrients they need to survive. ...

· Water Conservation. .

· Fewer Chemicals. .

· Faster Growth.

· Nutrient Control.

· Grow Indoors.

· Healthier Plants.

· Bigger Yields.

ADVANTAGES OF HYDROPONIC SYSTEM :

1. No Soil Involved

Since Hydroponic farming involves growing crops without soil, it is an ideal option for anyone who has limited accessibility to land. During the mid-nineties, Hydroponics was used for supplying fresh crops to the troops in the distant Wake Islands.

For the uninitiated, the Wake Islands is a distant arable area located in the Pacific Ocean. In recent years, Hydroponic is often deemed as the farming method of the future as several astronauts in NASA have considered this possibility for growing crops in the space.

2. Optimal Use of Location

Since every requirement of the plant is provided for and duly maintained in a structured system, Hydroponic Farming can be performed anywhere. So, if you live in a space-crunched apartment, you can always consider Hydroponic Farming where the plants will be grown in your bedroom or balcony.

When it comes to conventional farming, the plant roots expand and thoroughly spread out in a bid to search for food and oxygen levels in the soil. However, such is not the case with Hydroponics.

Here, the roots are already submerged in a tank of oxygenated solution that has direct contact with the vital minerals. That means you can grow multiple plants in proximity without having to worry about space.

3. Complete Control Over Climate

As with greenhouses, hydroponic growers have absolute control over the climate. They can adjust the temperature, the intensification of light, and the humidity levels as per their requirements.

So, in a way, if you practice Hydroponic Farming you can continue growing crops all year round without having to worry about the season.  This is also likely to boost the business profits of farmers.

 

4. Saves Water

The plants grown in a Hydroponic system barely use around 10% of the water when compared to the conventionally field-grown plants. The water used here is drastically less because unlike conventional farming water is reused or re-circulated.

Plants take in their required water, while the excess water is captured and trapped back in the system. Water loss, therefore, occurs only through two pertinent forms: evaporation and system leaks. With that being said, an efficient Hydroponic setup will minimize leaks or won’t have it in the first place.

It is assumed that agriculture involves only 80% of groundwater and surface water in the United States. Since water is already becoming a critical issue amid the growing need for food production, Hydroponics is deemed to be an excellent solution for addressing this issue.

5. Optimal Use of Nutrients

When it comes to Hydroponics Systems, you have absolute control over the nutrients as required by the plants. Even before proceeding with the farming, you can check what kind of nutrients your plants require and then mix particular amounts of those nutrients with water at different stages. Since the nutrients are duly conserved in tanks, there is no possibility of nutrient loss.

6. pH control

Since every mineral is directly in touch with water, you can always manually adjust and tweak the pH level as and when required. This will ensure that the plants receive optimal nutrient intake.

7. Faster Growth Rate

Another major benefit of the Hydroponic system is that it ensures a faster growth rate. Here, you are entirely in control over the environment required for the plants’ growth.

That means you have control over every parameter like the temperature, the surrounding light, moisture, and most importantly, the nutrients. The plants will be placed in an ideal condition and nutrients will be sufficiently provided where they can directly contact the root system.

This way, plants won’t waste their valuable energy looking for diluted nutrients submerged deep within the soil; rather, they can almost entirely be focused on thriving and boosting the production of fruits.

DISADVANTAGES OF HYDROPONIC SYSTEM  

                        As with any method of farming, Hydroponics comes with its own set of cons. In the following section, we will discuss some of these disadvantages of hydroponic farming in detail:

1. Time Consuming

While the process of Hydroponic Farming might seem feasible and convenient, it is slightly time-consuming as well. The plants thriving in soil may be ignored for days or even weeks as both nature and soil perfectly balance everything. However, such is not the case with Hydroponics.

Since the plants growing in this process almost entirely thrive on water, you need to be gentler with them. The water needs to be replaced at regular intervals, and you need to continuously check on the plants to see if they are doing just fine.

2. Requires Some Expertise

The process of Hydroponic farming depends on a range of equipment that requires proper expertise. Unless you know how to operate this equipment, the plants won’t thrive or flourish as much as you’d want them to.

Even the minutest mistake can affect the plant growth almost entirely destroying your Hydroponic System. That is why it is extremely important to familiarize yourself with the equipment and techniques involved in this process of farming.

3. Risks Of Water and Electricity

Two major factors in Hydroponic farming are electricity and water. So, unless you have adequate water or stable electricity, the Hydroponic system won’t thrive well. While growing plants in this system, you also need to ensure proper safety precautions so that the plant growth isn’t affected at any stage.

4. Threats of System Failure

If you are using electricity for managing your entire Hydroponic system, you need to take precautionary measures during the event of power blackouts or dimouts.

Since the system won’t operate due to the lack of electricity supply, thereby drying out the plants- it is extremely important to take this precaution even before you proceed to move forward with a Hydroponic system.

5. Debates Over the Organic Nature

Over the last couple of years, there has been significant debate and deliberation on whether Hydroponic Farming is indeed a certified method of organic farming.

Many farmers have questioned whether plants grown through Hydroponic farming can be indeed certified as Organic as they do not receive the microbiomes as available in the soil.

However, people across the globe have produced Hydroponic plants like tomatoes, lettuces, and other leafy vegetables over the last decade. Countries like Australia, the US, and the Netherlands have already performed and succeeded in this mode of farming. At the end of the day, it has produced food for several thousands of people.

It is worth noting here that you cannot expect any method of farming to be perfect. Even if the plants are growing in soil, there will be risks of pests and pesticides when compared to Hydroponics.

That is why certain organic farming methods are suggested for Hydroponic farmers as well. For instance, certain growers provide the required Microbiomes to the plants by using organic growing artifacts like coco coir or worm casting.              Alternatively, natural nutrients like fish, cottonseeds, bones, or even alfalfas may be used in this process.