Soil-less agriculture

PRESENTED BY : SAMIDHA H. MUNJAMKAR

SHIVRAMJI PAWAR GRAMIN COLLEGE OF

AGRICULTURAL ENGG. & TECH., NEHRUNAGAR

 INDEX
• Introduction
• Objectives
• Hydroponics
– Types of Hydroponics
– Growing medium and it’s types
– What we can grew
• Aeroponics
• Comparison between Hydroponics and Aeroponics
• Discussions
• Summary
• Suggestions
• References
 INTRODUCTION

• Definition of Soilless agriculture

Soilless agriculture can be defined as growing
vegetables in greenhouse systems in solid
environments other than soil which is enriched by
nutritional solutions
TYPES OF SOILLESS AGRICULTURE

1. Hydroponic : Hydroponic is nothing but the

cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid
nutrient solutions rather than in soil. The word,
Hydroponic, comes from Latin and means working
water.
2. Aeroponic : Aeroponics is the process of growing
plants in an air or mist environment without the use
of soil or an aggregate medium. The word
"aeroponic" is derived from the Greek meanings of
aero- (air) and ponos (labour).
 OBJECTIVES
➢To bring to each one present here an awareness of a
methodology of cultivation called Soil-less
Cultivation.

➢To educate the students of how this technology can

play an important part in helping conserve water and
yet derive yields of unimaginable magnitudes.

➢To develop a positive attitude towards the soilless

cultivation so as to spread the knowledge and increase
in the cultivation by encouraging other people.
Fig – Hydroponic System
 TYPES OF HYDROPONIC
SYSTEM
1. Wick system

2. Water culture system

3. Ebb & flow system

4. Drip system

5. Nutrition film technique

6. Aeroponics
WICK SYSTEM
 It is the most simple and basic form
 It is a passive system i.e., it contains no
moving parts
 Easier to establish and cheaper
 Consist of Grow tray (filled with growing
medium), reservoir, wick and aeration system
 Reservoir is a nothing but tank filled with
nutrition solution.
 Wicks are used to transport nutrition solution
to the roots of plants in grow tray through
capillary action
 Aeration system is required to maintain level
of oxygen in nutrition solution which is useful
for the health of plants
WATER CULTURE SYSTEM
 Simplest of all active hydroponic
systems
 Roots of plants are in direct
contact of nutrition solution
 Floating platform generally made
up of Styrofoam is used to hold
the plants
 Aeration system consisting of air
pump, air line and air stone is
needed for necessary supply of
oxygen
 Fast growing water loving plants
such as leaf lettuce, herbs are
ideal choice for this type of
hydroponic systems
EBB & FLOW SYSTEM
 As the name suggest this system follow a
continuous process of flowing (flooding)
nutrition solution to the roots and then
falling back from the flood stage to the
reservoir with certain period of time
 The time period depends on sixe and type of
plants, temperature and humidity and the
type of growing medium used.
 Solution is flooded using water pump and
drained out using drain tube.
 Main drawback is there is a vulnerability to
power outages as well as pump and timer
failures. The roots can dry out quickly when
the watering cycles are interrupted.
 DRIP SYSTEM

Recovery Drip Systems Non Recovery Drip Systems

 COMPARISON OF RECOVERY AND
NON RECOVERY DRIP SYSTEM
Recovery Drip Systems
• Doesn't require precise
control of the watering
cycles so inexpensive timer
can be used
• A recovery system can have
large shifts in the pH and
nutrient strength levels that
require periodic checking
and adjusting.
Non Recovery Drip Systems
• Needs to have a more
precise timer to adjust
watering cycles so that plants
get appropriate amount of
nutrient solution
• Requires less maintenance
because the excess nutrient
solution isn't recycled back
into the reservoir, so the
nutrient strength and pH of
the reservoir will not vary
NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE

• Constant flow of nutrition solution so

no timer required for the submersible
pump
• The nutrient solution is pumped into
the growing tray (usually a tube) and
flows over the roots of the plants, and
then drains back into the reservoir
• no growing medium other than air
• plant is supported in a small plastic
basket with the roots dangling into the
nutrient solution
• very susceptible to power outages and
pump failures. The roots dry out very
• rapidly when the flow of nutrient
solution is interrupted
GROWING MEDIUM AND ITS TYPES
FAQ :
Q. What is growing medium?
Answer : Growing medium is a medium other than soil which is inert
and non-organic material.

Q. Why growing medium is needed?

Answer : First of all it is used because it is the major support for the
plants to hold them up. Then these are useful because of their water
holding capacity, porosity and many other properties leading to
appropriate nutrition solution supply, proper oxygenation of roots
which keeps plants healthy.

Q. What are its types? Which is the best one to be used?

Answer : There are many no. of types of growing mediums. Choice of
growing medium depends on its properties as well as type of
hydroponic system used for production of plants.
 COCO COIR

▪ Excellent moisture holding ability and

inert characteristics
▪ It is basically produced from a brown
husk which surrounds a coconut shell
▪ Coconut coir is sold in small compressed
packets which expand 6 to 8 times in
volume when water is added
▪ Though it has good aeration property its
disadvantage is it breaks down after
several use and can not drain out quickly
 HYDROTON
▪ Most versatile growing mediums
in the gardening world
▪ Hydrotons are not rocks at all
!!!
▪ They are actually an expanded clay
product.
▪ Hydroton hasa porousstructure
which makes it easy to absorb.
▪ It keeps its shape as it is which
leadsappropriate amount of water
to ease in exchange of oxygen
withroots.
▪ Hydroton is a pH neutral product.
 PERLITE
• Perlite is a light weight, porous and
inert material.
• It is made by heating silica (flakes of
glass) until it expands (like popcorn).
• This medium keeps plants more open
to air, while still having good water-
retention properties, and therefore it
makes a good medium for
hydroponics.
▪ Reusable, inexpensive lightweight
filler.
• Drawback is it cannot be used alone
for ebb & flow, as it tends to float
away or move during the flooding
cycle.
 There are many…

❑ Vermiculite ❑ Rockwool

❑ Peat Moss ❑ Pea Gravel

❑ Sawdust ❑Grow Stones

❑ Coarse Sand ❑Oasis Cubes

We Can
Grow…
And also…
 AEROPONICS
• In Aeroponic systems the roots
hang in the air and are misted with
nutrient solution.
• The mistings are usually done
every few minutes.
• Because if the roots are exposed to
the air they will dry out rapidly if
the misting cycles are interrupted.
• In aeroponic, growing medium is
primarily air
• The aeroponic system is probably
the most high-tech type soilless
agricultural system
Comparison Between Aeroponic and
Hydroponic
Aeroponic Hydroponic
• No growing medium is used • Various types of growing
in aeroponic systems. mediums are used based on

• Aeroponic systems typically the requirements in different

employ boards, foam sheets, hydroponics systems.

plastics clips or other • Growing medium itself acts

methods to suspend the as a support for plants.
plants in space.
 Discussion : Hydroponic
Advantages Disadvantages

• Crops using hydroponic can be • Initial costs to develop

grown where soil is unsuitable for
traditional agriculture like desert
areas.
• Plant diseases are highly reduced
due the absence of soil.
• Hydroponics uses less than 1/10th
- 1/5th of the water used in soil
cultivation.
• Bigger and higher yields are
obtained.
hydroponic system is higher.
• Deeper knowledge and
careful study along with
skilled labouring is needed.
• Needs more attention and
small mistakes may lead to
much losses.
 Discussion : Hydroponic
Advantages
• Crops are grown close
together, so more crops can
be grown.
• Plants are not exposed to
soil disease or bacteria, so
no pesticide is needed,
which means healthier
crops.
• The crops mature faster,
which means there will be
more harvests.
Disadvantages
• A lot of money is needed to
set-up an aeroponics farm.
• Many consumers believe
that aeroponically grown
plants are not as nutritious
as other grown plants.
• Maintenance of an
aeroponics farm is very
expensive
 SUMMARY
• Hydroponics is relatively modern technology and can be
proved as a good option for traditional cultivation using soil
for better yield of crops.
• Hydroponics are easier to establish and one can make a
small garden in front of home and can get good quality of
vegetables with a little more effort.
• Aeroponics helps to conserve water, land and nutrients, so
the aeroponics system is the way of the future, making
cultivation of crops easier.
• Aeroponic growing allows plants and crops to grow without
the use of pesticide and thus it will be disease free.
 SUGGESTIONS
• More and more research work should be done on the
subject.
• Government should take more interest to encourage the
people for investing in these types of cultivations.
• Various types of funding should be made available for
promoting establishment of soilless cultivation by
Government on large scale.
• Educational seminars on the topic should be arranged
through out the country to educate more and more people
so as to increase the soilless type of cultivation.
• Separate topic should be included in the curriculum of
agriculture to implement the new thinking about agriculture
in young generation.
 REFERENCES
✓ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics

✓ www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htm

✓ ag.arizona.edu/ hydroponictomatoes

✓ www.hydroponics.about.com

✓ Hydroponics for the 21st century.pdf

✓ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroponic

✓ www.aeroponics.com

✓ Aeroponics for vegetable growing.pdf