What Are Hydroponic Systems and How Do They Work?

Hydroponics advantage with future scope

 

 

Hydroponics 

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Hydroponics is a simple technique in which the plants are grown using water instead of soil. It is a subset of hydroculture. Mineral nutrient solutions are used as water solvent. Terrestrial plants may be grown with only their roots exposed to the nutritious liquid, or the roots may be physically supported by an inert medium such as perlite or gravel.

Advantages of Hydroponics :

1. The increased control over growing conditions makes it easier to provide the best possible environment for plant, leading to better quality produce and high yield.

2. The production in hydroponics may be increased approximately two times as compared with soil cultivation in a comparable area with correct management practised because the plant does not have to compete for moisture and nutrients.

3. Hydroponics garden can provide plants with optimum qualities of the necessary nutrients during the different seasons. This will enable maximize growth to be achieved.

4. A small hydroponics garden can be set up almost anywhere even in upstairs balconies and open area and protected structures because the land is not necessary.

5. Hydroponics produce generally tastes better and is higher in nutritional value than field-grown crops.

6. Plant grow 50% faster than soil has grown under the same condition because of they easy access to food and water.

7. Continues cultivation and off-season production throughout the seasons.

8. The occurrence of soil born disease and nematode damage is not possible, so hydroponic production is exported safely.

9. Vegetable cultivation can be done with leisure sense.

10. Water wastage reduce to the minimum.

11. There is no need for crop rotations as growing media can be reused continuously or replaced.

12. The plants are uniform in growth and maturity.

Components of hydroponic system:

i. Growing chamber (tray)

ii. Reservoir

iii. Submersible pump

iv. Delivery tubes

v. Aerators or air pumps

vi. Grow lights

1. Growing chamber (tray):

i. It the system or constituent of hydroponics setup that imparts support.

ii. It is that portion of any hydroponic setup through which plants roots will be growing.

iii. It is perforated chamber in which roots of the plant will be submerged in the reservoir containing nutrient solution dissolved in water so that roots have proper access to the dissolved minerals.

iv. The nutrient solution temperature is also an important factor for keeping the root zone comfortable for the growing plant.

v. There is no stringency regarding shape and size of growing chamber or tray, the shape and size of growing tray entirely depend on the type of hydroponic system you are building as well as on the type of plants you wish to cultivate in it.

vi. Anything can be used as a growing tray except any metal or material that corrode or react with nutrient solution.

2. Reservoir:

i. A reservoir is the part of any hydroponic system that holds the nutrient solution.

ii. The nutrient solution consists of plant nutrients that are thoroughly mixed in water.

iii. Depending on the type of hydroponic arrangement, the nutrient solution can be pumped from the reservoir up to the growing chamber (root zone) in cycles frequently.

iv. The roots can also be emerged down into the reservoir permanently, making the reservoir a growing chamber also.

3. Submersible pump:

i. Nearly all hydroponic systems require a submersible pump to pump the water in which nutrient solution is dissolved from the reservoir up to the growing chamber/root zone for the plants for their easy access.

ii. Submersible pumps are easily available online as well as at hydroponic supply shops, or most of the home improvement stores with garden supplies they will also come in a wide variety of sizes depending upon your requirement.

4. Delivery tubes :

i. Delivery tubes or delivery system for the nutrient solution is very simple and can be customized according to you.

ii. It's just the medium that sprays the water/nutrient solution upwards so that required minerals goes through to get to the plant’s roots in the growing chamber, and back to the reservoir again.

iii. Most common simplest, affordable and best materials to be used for the nutrient delivery system are a combination of standard PVC tubing and connectors, standard garden irrigation tubes and connectors, as well as blue or black vinyl tubing.

iv. Depending on the type of hydroponic system you build, you may wish to use drip emitters or sprayers as a part of your nutrient solution delivery system.

v. They are useful, but they can also clog. So if you use them, make sure you have extras in your collection so that you can quickly swap out while you clean the clogged ones.

5. Aerators or air pumps :

i. Since oxygen is one of the prerequisites for the growth of plants whether they are grown hydroponically or in the soil in case of soil nature does its work.

ii. But when growing plants in soilless culture optimum level of oxygen must be maintained.

iii. So here comes the aerator in our picture though air pumps are optional in hydroponic systems.

iv. But using them has its own advantages, and plus point is they are relatively inexpensive.

v. Air pumps are also available in name of aerators or aquarium pumps which can be found anywhere they sell aquarium supplies.

vi. The function of Air pumps is just to supply air and oxygen to the water and then to the roots of the growing plants.

vii. Air is pumped through a bunch of small bubbles that rise up through the nutrient solution.

viii. This helps to keep the plant’s roots from suffocating and providing an optimum level of oxygen while they are submerged in the nutrient solution.

ix. The air pump is typically placed in the reservoir thereby it helps to increase dissolved oxygen levels in the water up and keeps the water oxygenated.

x. Other advantage’s of using aerators is that as the air bubbles rise, they keep the water and dissolved nutrients moving and circulating, which keeps nutrients to be evenly mixed all the time.

xi. The circulating oxygenated water also helps to reduce pathogens to originate in the reservoir.

6. Grow Lights:

i. It is an optional component of the hydroponic system.

ii. Grow lights are different from most standard household lights.

iii. Grow lights are designed to emit definite color spectrums that imitate sunlight. 

iv. The plants use these wavelengths of light to carry out photosynthesis which is important for plant growth.

v. Usually, grow lights are available as LED emitters online as well as in markets.

vi. If you are setting up your hydroponic system in natural sunlight condition you don’t need to equip your setup with to grow lights.

vii. So pull your socks and assemble all the components and build a hydroponic system in your favorite shape, color, and designs.

Future scope of hydroponics :

1. Population size of India is indiscriminately increasing, and this is one of the major reasons why size of arable land is reducing in availability.

2. Since arable land area is continuously reducing, it is becoming difficult to produce staple crops for rapidly growing population.

3. With hydroponic farming method, the arable space problem in India will be solved in the future.

4. More cultivars of staple crops can be grown, and consumption of soil and water will be reduced, or just not required.

5. How it would appear, when crops will be grown in visible light spectrum, and there will be fresh food available for everyone on the land.

6. This could be a start of new green revolution; which millennia’s out here are going to witness.

7. Another significant benefit of Hydroponic farming evolution in India will alleviate the burden on poor people and the environment in which we breathe and survive.

8. How this will happen?

a) Since hydroponic farms requires less of space and water, and growth is alarmingly quick than the traditional farming, fruits and vegetables will be grown quickly.

b) With surplus food available for everyone, there will not be fight for the hunger.

c) In this innovative process water is also saved, which means more water is available for various other purposes.

9. Finally, the hydroponic farming will reduce pests and weed production on alarming levels.

10. Therefore, the use of pesticides, insecticides and weedicides will be reduced.

11. There will not be any land pollution.

12. For now, this technological revolution is a fringe movement, and much of exploration is underway.

Reference: www.vikaspedia.com

www.bartonbreeze.com

gardeningtips.in

Submitted By  :-  Piyush Mukundrao  Lande

Enrollment No :-  QQ-1441

Guided by        :- Prof. A. Dongarwar (Department of Agronomy)

Submitted To   :-  Prof. A. S. Dhengle

(Department of Agril. Extension Education)

(MWCA , YAVATMAL)