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hydrophonics
growing plants using
mineral nutrient solutions,
in water, without soil.
Terrestrial plants may be
grown with their roots in
• the mineral nutrient
solution only or
• an inert medium, such as
• perlite,
• gravel,
• wool,
• coconut husk.
The nutrient solution
hydrophonics
supplies most of the plant
nutrient requirements.
This method of growing has
also been referred to as
nutrient-‐‑solution culture, soil
less culture, water culture,
gravel culture
and nutriculture.
Solution culture
hydrophonics
Static Solution
Culture
Continuous-‐‑
Solution
flow solution
Culture
culture
Hydrophonics
Medium
Aerophonics
Culture
hydrophonics
method has a solid medium
Medium culture
for the roots and is named
for the type of medium,
e.g., sand culture, gravel
culture, or rockwool
culture.
There are two main
variations for each
medium, sub-‐‑irrigation and
top irrigation.
For all techniques, most
hydroponic reservoirs are
now built of plastic, but
other materials have been
used including concrete,
glass, metal, vegetable
solids, and wood. The
containers should exclude
light to prevent algae
growth in the nutrient
solution.
hydrophonics
Methods
Passive subirrigation
• also known as passive
hydroponics or semi-‐‑
hydroponics
• plants are grown in
an inert porous medium
that transports water
and fertilizer to the
roots bycapillary
action from a separate
reservoir as necessary
hydrophonics
The hydroponic method of
plant production by means of
suspending the plant roots in
a solution of nutrient-‐‑rich,
oxygenated water.
Traditional methods favour
the use of plastic buckets and
large containers with the
plant contained in a net pot
suspended from the centre of
the lid and the roots
suspended in the nutrient
solution.
hydrophonics
Bubbleponics
In this method, the water is
pumped from the reservoir up
to the roots (top feeding). The
water is released over the
plant'ʹs roots and then runs
back into the reservoir below
in a constantly recirculating
system. As with Deep Water
Culture, there is an airstone in
the reservoir that pumps air
into the water via a hose from
outside the reservoir. The
airstone helps add oxygen to
the water. Both the airstone
and the water pump run 24
hours a day.
One of the most obvious
decisions hydroponic farmers
hydrophonics
have to make is which medium
they should use. Different
media are appropriate for
different growing techniques.
The following media are
. currently in use.
Pozzolanic lassenite
Expanded clay (Ex-‐‑clay)
Rock wool
Coir
medium
Perlite
Pumice
Vermiculite
Sand
Gravel
Brick shards
Wood fiber
hydrophonics
Advantages of
Hydroponics
• Land is not necessary. It
can be practiced even in
upstairs, open spaces and
in protected structures.
advantages
.
• Clean working
environment. The grower
will not have any direct
contact with
soil.
• Low drudgery. No need of
making beds, weeding,
watering, etc.
• Continuous cultivation is
possible.
• No soil borne diseases or
nematode damage.
• Off-‐‑season production is
possible.
• Vegetable cultivation can
be done with leisure sense.
hydrophonics
• Many plants were found to
give yield early in hydroponics
system.
• Higher yields possible with
correct management practices.
• Easy to hire labour as
advantages
.
hydroponics system is more
a\ractive and easier than
cultivation in soil.
• No need of electricity,
pumps, etc. for the non-‐‑
circulating systems of solution
culture.
• Possibility of growing a wide
variety of vegetable and flower
crops including
Anthurium, marigolds, etc.
• Water wastage is reduced to
minimum.
• Possible to grow plants and
rooted cu\ings free from soil
particles for export
hydrophonics
• Higher initial capital
expenditure. This will be
further high if the soil-‐‑less
culture is combined with
controlled environment
.
agriculture.
• High degree of management
skills is necessary for solution
limitations
preparation,
maintenance of pH and Ec,
nutrient deficiency judgment
and correction,
ensuring aeration, maintenance
of favourable condition inside
protected
structures, etc.
• Considering the significantly
high cost, the soil-‐‑less culture is
limited to high
value crops of the area of
cultivation.
hydrophonics
limitations
Ec of the nutrient solution.
• Energy inputs are necessary
to run the system.
• Yields were found to
decrease when temperature of
the solution rises during
warm periods.
A green wall is a wall, either
free-‐‑standing or part of a
Green walls
building, that is partially or
completely covered with
vegetation and, in some cases,
soil or an inorganic growing
.
medium.
The vegetation for a green
façade is always a\ached on
outside walls; with living
walls this is also usually the
case, although some living
walls can also be green walls
for interior use. For living
walls there are many methods
including a\aching to the air
return of the building to help
with air filtration. They are
also referred to as living
walls, biowalls, vertical
gardens or more scientifically
VCW(Vertical Vegetated
Complex Walls).
Green walls
Green
Green facades
Walls
Living
walls
Green façades are made up of
Green walls
climbing plants either growing
directly on a wall or, more
recently, specially designed
supporting structures. The plant
.
shoot system grows up the side
of the building while being
rooted in the ground.
With a living wall the modular
panels are often made of
stainless steel
containers, geotextiles, irrigation
systems, a growing medium and
vegetation.
There are three types of
Growth Media used in living
walls, loose media, mat media
Green walls
and structural media.
Loose medium systems have
their soil packed into a shelf or
. bag and then are installed onto
the wall. These systems require
their media to be replaced at
least once a year on exteriors
and approximately every two
years on interiors.
types
Green walls
.
types
cannot support vibrant root
systems of mature plants for
more than three to five years
before the roots overtake the mat
and water is not able to
adequately wick through the
mats.
Green walls
Structural media are
growth medium "ʺblocks"ʺ
that are not loose, nor
mats
incorporate the best
.
types
have a higher or lower
water holding capacity
depending on the plant
selection for the wall
• Green walls are found
most often in urban
Green walls
environments where
the plants reduce
overall temperatures
of the building.
• "ʺThe primary cause of
.
heat build-‐‑up in cities
is insolation, the
absorption of solar
radiation by roads and
buildings in the city
function
and the storage of this
heat in the building
material and its
subsequent re-‐‑
radiation.
• Plant surfaces
however, as a result of
transpiration, do not
rise more than 4–5 °C
above the ambient and
are sometimes cooler."ʺ
.
• Living walls may also be a
.
means for water reuse.
Green walls
• The plants may purify
slightly polluted water (such
as greywater) by absorbing
.
the dissolved nutrients.
function
• Living walls are particularly
suitable for cities, as they
allow good use of available
vertical surface areas.