SOIL-LESS CULTIVATION

INTRODUTION:
One of the new promising method for improving cultivation of different vegetable crop is soil
less cultivation. As the name suggests it is the method of cultivation of crops without the usage
of soil as a rooting medium, in which the nutrients absorbed by the roots are supplied through
the irrigation water. We can use this method in places like deserts, balconies, roof of the
buildings, various greenhouses and place with sufficient level of water for irrigating plants.
One of the most important primary media for growing plant is soil as they provide nutrients, air
and water for the successful growth of plants. Plants on open field cultivation are now facing
major problems such as soil compaction, soil erosion, poor drainage system, growth of
pathogens in soil etc. In addition to this open agriculture is difficult as it requires large space,
high number of labors, high amount of water and many more. Moreover, places like
Metropolitan area soil is not available for the growth of plants and in some places due to
scarcity of fertility of soil and due to their geographical and topographical conditions all plants
are not grown. On the other side due to continuous urbanization and industrialization, the
agricultural land is being shrinked which indirectly affect the total production of agriculture and
horticulture. When unfavorable condition and such circumstances arises in open field
agricultural system then alternative method of soilless cultivation was justified by our scientist.
The recent scientific invention has proved that it is possible to produce nutritive and qualitative
end product of plant and crops without soil.
Soilless cultivation is the method of growing plants using without soil as a rooting medium. In
soil-less crops the fertilizers which is to be supplied to the crops are dissolved in the
appropriate concentration in the irrigation water and that resultant solution is named as
―nutrient solution. Many of the countries are focusing towards soil - less cultivation to
overcome the circumstances of soil-based cultivation. Soil-less cultivation includes
Hydroponics, Aquaponics and Aeroponics. Nowadays soil-less cultivation is gaining energy and
popularity throughout the world and became one of the most fastest growing sectors in
agricultural field.
Hydroponics is one of the most popular techniques in soil-less cultivation. The term
Hydroponics is derived from Greek word ―hydro- meaning water and ―ponos meaning labor.
The word Hydroponics was coined by Professor William Gericke in 1930’s. Hydroponics is the
method of growing plants in soil-less condition with the roots fully immersed in the nutrient
media. W.J. ShaloDuglas was the first English scientist to introduce hydroponics in India in the
year 1946. He had established a lab in the state of West Bengal in Kalimpong Area and he also
written a book on Hydroponics which was named as ―Hydroponics-The Bengal System.

TECHNIQUES OF HYDROPONICS CULTIVATION:

1.DEEP WATER CULTURE OR FLOATING ROOT SYSTEM:

Deep flow Technique (DFT), also known as a Deep-Water Culture (DWC) system or floating raft
system, is one of the simplest forms of hydroponics systems and is easy to operate. With a
deep-water culture system, the plants are contained in a net pot suspended from the lid, and
the roots are suspended in a nutrient solution.

It is the straight forward form of hydroponics system. Plants are floating by a float platform on a
bath of hydroponic nutrient solution. Oxygen is continuously supplied through an air pump to
the plants.

ADVANTAGES:

A massive advantage to DWC is that your plant’s roots will become huge and are less prone to
root diseases. There are some challenges when growing with DWC. For instance, if you are not
constantly providing aeration, that can cause algae and root rot.
2. DRIP CULTURE:

Drip irrigation is a type of irrigation that conserves water and is more energy efficient than
other types of irrigation. It is also known to have a positive impact on the environment .
It is a type of irrigation system that saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the
roots of plants.

Either onto the soil surface or through a network of valves, pipes, emitters, and tubing, water is directed
directly onto the root zone.

And it is considered one of the most efficient and effective irrigation methods, as it conserves water and
energy while providing numerous other benefits.

ADVANTAGES:
It can help to improve crop yields and minimize the spread of pests and diseases. Additionally, it can be
used in conjunction with other sustainable agriculture practices, such as crop rotation and the use of
cover crops, to improve the efficiency of water and fertilizer use.

3. AEROPONICS:
The aeroponic system is one of the most advanced type of hydroponic system. In this technique, the
supplement solution is sprayed to create fine mist around the root system around the chamber.

In this system, the roots are being hanged down in the air and the nutrients are being supplied
periodically through sprinklers.
Simply by the nature of the system, aeroponics uses 98% less land than traditional farming methods by
making use of vertical space as well as horizontal.

There is considerably less variability in a controlled environment, lending to less waste and lower cost.
Although aeroponic systems use water-based solutions to perform properly, they use about 95% less
water than standard farming.

Growers design their systems and nutrient solutions to maximize the growth and production of their
plants. Plants grown in these indoor gardens are known to grow as much as 3x faster than those in
outdoor farms.