Hydroponics, also called aquaculture, nutriculture, soilless culture, or tank farming, the cultivation of plants in nutrient-enriched water, with or without the mechanical support of an inert medium such as sand or gravel.
Plants have long been grown with their roots immersed in solutions of water and fertilizer for scientific studies of their nutrition. Early commercial hydroponics (from Greek hydro, “water,” and ponos, “labour”) adopted this method of culture. Because of the difficulties in supporting the plants in a normal upright growing position and aerating the solution, however, this method was supplanted by gravel culture, in which gravel supports the plants in a watertight bed or bench. Various kinds of gravel and other materials have been used successfully, including fused shale and clay and granite chips. Fertilizer solution is pumped through periodically, the frequency and concentration depending on the plant and on ambient conditions such as light and temperature. The solution drains into a tank, and pumping is usually automatic.
Copyright© Goodview 2018. All right reserved | Designed by Jeyasriinfomedia