Soil-less cultivation: AEROPONICS

INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest challenges of today is to end hunger and poverty while making agriculture and food systems sustainable. Agriculture is in a phase of major change around the world and dealing with serious problems. The world food production is rising faster than population and per capita consumption increase.In the future, it would be difficult task to provide a fresh and clean food supply for the fast-growing population using traditional agriculture. Under such circumstances, the soil-less cultivation is the alternative technology to adapt effectively. The soil-less system associated with the Hydroponic and Aeroponics system.

AEROPONICS

Aeroponics is the science of plant cultivation without incorporation of the soil or a substrate culture.It is an air water culture cultivation system, the roots of plant are hanged inside a sealed container under darkness and openly exposed in the air to get water nutrient-rich spray through atomizers. The upper portion of the plant leaves and crown extend above the wet zone. The root and canopy of the plant are separated by the artificially provided structure. The system uses the nutrient-enriched spray in the air with the help of pressure nozzles or foggers to sustain hyper growth under controlled conditions.The concept and idea of plant cultivation in the air by providing artificial support is not much old.

Advantages: Aeroponics technique is a current innovative and appropriate technology. It has the potential to cultivate plants in large quantities, tree saplings.It is an indoor horticulture practice. It is the best to adopt aeroponics in areas where the soil is not suitable for plant growth.The system reduces the labor cost, consumes less water usage , fertilizer usage , pesticide and herbicides usage and maximize plant yield more than either hydroponics or geoponics system.It is environmentally friendly and economically efficient plant growing system.

Disadvantages: The system design material is little expensive. As the well-designed system requires advanced equipment. It mainly constant high-pressure pumps, atomization nozzles, EC, and pH measuring devices, temperature, light intensity and humidity sensors and timer to control the system.

CONCLUSION

Aeroponics system is considered the best plant growing method for food security and sustainable development. The system has shown some promising returns in various countries and recommended as the most efficient, useful, significant, economical and convenient plant growing system then soil and other soil-less methods.The system is quickly increasing momentum, popularity and fastest growing sector of modern agriculture. It would be effectively employed in various countries for vegetable production where natural resources are insufficient.The system is the best plant growing technology in many aspects comparing with different cultivation system.