Hydroponics is a branch of hydroculture involved with growing of plants without soil but mineral nutrient solutions and water. Terrestrial plants are now grown without water, but root systems immersed in nutrient solutions. Plants need to receive water to grow well. Methods of delivering water and nutrient are many and diverse. Some major ones include hanging root systems in nutrient solutions directly, placing root systems in substrates in containers, and finally misting the roots.
When suspended in a substrate, the substrate acts as a replacement for soil. Substrates are of many different types these days. Some of the most common ones include wood chips, rockwool, pebbles, sand, sawdust, or perlite among others. Important characteristics that substrates need to have are good water retention capacity and porosity to allow gaseous exchange. Roots develop into the substrate to offer support. This form of agriculture has become very attractive to farmers and it is being practiced worldwide. It is common to see a hydroponics store on the streets.
The history of this technology is a long one. Francis Bacon was the first person to write a book on the technology in the year 1627. The book was printed several years after Bacon had already died and since then, people gained interest in the technology. A lot of research was done around that time with several publications coming out since 1699. A lot of modifications have been done to original findings and inventions.
There are two major kinds of hydroponics today, that is, medium culture and solution culture. In solution culture, there is no solid medium used for plant root system. Only the nutrient solution is used. On the other hand, medium culture involves the use of a solid medium to support the root system.
Further subdivision of solution cultures produces three major subgroups. These subgroups include aeroponics, static solution culture, and continuous-flow solution culture. Names for medium cultures are derived from the type of medium in use. For instance, there are gravel culture and rockwool culture. Medium and solution cultures can be divided further according to how irrigation is done. Under that criterion are top irrigation and sub-irrigation.
Plastics are the main materials used to make hydroponic reservoirs used today. However, sometime back concrete, glass, vegetable solids, wood, and metal among other materials were in wide use. In fact, these materials are still used to make reservoirs but on a small scale. Algae growth is encourage when reservoirs are exposed to light hence that must be avoided.
Nutrients are supplied to plants in a dissolved form. Major forms are ionic and inorganic. Hydroponic solutions are made following different recipes and usually involve combining different chemicals to attain certain compositions. Macronutrients are derived from chemicals such as potassium phosphate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate. Salts usually become over concentrated as plants deplete minerals and water. Therefore, close monitoring is necessary.
This technology is currently used on a commercial scale in many countries. Productivity is very high due to constant nutrient supply and reduced pest problems. However, limited exposure to light and low levels of CO2 can limit growth in plants.
When suspended in a substrate, the substrate acts as a replacement for soil. Substrates are of many different types these days. Some of the most common ones include wood chips, rockwool, pebbles, sand, sawdust, or perlite among others. Important characteristics that substrates need to have are good water retention capacity and porosity to allow gaseous exchange. Roots develop into the substrate to offer support. This form of agriculture has become very attractive to farmers and it is being practiced worldwide. It is common to see a hydroponics store on the streets.
The history of this technology is a long one. Francis Bacon was the first person to write a book on the technology in the year 1627. The book was printed several years after Bacon had already died and since then, people gained interest in the technology. A lot of research was done around that time with several publications coming out since 1699. A lot of modifications have been done to original findings and inventions.
There are two major kinds of hydroponics today, that is, medium culture and solution culture. In solution culture, there is no solid medium used for plant root system. Only the nutrient solution is used. On the other hand, medium culture involves the use of a solid medium to support the root system.
Further subdivision of solution cultures produces three major subgroups. These subgroups include aeroponics, static solution culture, and continuous-flow solution culture. Names for medium cultures are derived from the type of medium in use. For instance, there are gravel culture and rockwool culture. Medium and solution cultures can be divided further according to how irrigation is done. Under that criterion are top irrigation and sub-irrigation.
Plastics are the main materials used to make hydroponic reservoirs used today. However, sometime back concrete, glass, vegetable solids, wood, and metal among other materials were in wide use. In fact, these materials are still used to make reservoirs but on a small scale. Algae growth is encourage when reservoirs are exposed to light hence that must be avoided.
Nutrients are supplied to plants in a dissolved form. Major forms are ionic and inorganic. Hydroponic solutions are made following different recipes and usually involve combining different chemicals to attain certain compositions. Macronutrients are derived from chemicals such as potassium phosphate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate. Salts usually become over concentrated as plants deplete minerals and water. Therefore, close monitoring is necessary.
This technology is currently used on a commercial scale in many countries. Productivity is very high due to constant nutrient supply and reduced pest problems. However, limited exposure to light and low levels of CO2 can limit growth in plants.
About the Author:
If you are looking for the facts about a hydroponics store, go to our web pages online here today. More details are available at http://greenenvysupply.com now.
No comments:
Post a Comment