HYDROPONICS.

By Percival C. Pinnock

THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM.

What is Hydroponics.

Types/Techniques of Hydroponics.

Advantages and Disadvantages of hydroponics.

How Hydroponics Impacts on the environment.

Students Should Know..

Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture (the growing of plants in a soilless medium, or an aquatic based environment) and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil.

Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as gravel, mineral wool, expanded clay pebbles or coconut husk.

WHAT IS HYDROPONICS?

The two main types of hydroponics are

Solution culture Medium culture.

TYPES/TECHNIQUES OF HYDROPONICS

Solution culture does not use a solid medium for the roots, just

the nutrient solution. The three main types of solution cultures

are static solution culture, continuous-flow solution culture

and aeroponics.

SOLUTION CULTURE

Aeroponics is a system whereby roots are continuously or discontinuously kept in an environment saturated with fine drops (a mist or aerosol) of nutrient solution. The method requires no substrate and entails growing plants with their roots suspended in a deep air or growth chamber with the roots periodically wetted with a fine mist of atomized nutrients. 

AEROPONICS

In Static solution culture, plants are grown in containers of nutrient solution, such as glass Mason jars, plastic buckets, tubs, or tanks. The solution is usually gently aerated but may be un-aerated. If un-aerated, the solution level is kept low enough that roots are above the solution so they get adequate oxygen.

STATIC SOLUTION CULTURE

In Continuous-flow solution culture, the nutrient solution constantly flows past the roots. It is much easier to automate than the static solution culture because sampling and adjustments to the temperature and nutrient concentrations can be made in a large storage tank that has potential to serve thousands of plants. 

CONTINUOUS-FLOW SOLUTION CULTURE

The medium culture method has a solid medium for the roots

and is named for the type of medium, e.g., sand culture, gravel

culture, or rockwool culture.

There are two main variations for each medium, 

Sub-irrigation and Top irrigation

MEDIUM CULTURE

Passive sub-irrigation, is a method where by plants are grown in an inert porous medium that transports water and fertilizer to the roots by capillary action from a separate reservoir as necessary, reducing labour and providing a constant supply of water to the roots

PASSIVE SUB-IRRIGATION

In its simplest form, there are trays above a reservoir of nutrient solution. Either the trays are filled with growing medium (clay granules being the most common) and planted directly or pots of medium stand in the tray.

FLOW AND DRAIN SUB-IRRIGATION

No soil is needed for hydroponics.

Pests and diseases are easier to get rid of than in soil because of the container's mobility

It is possible to control the nutrition levels in their entirety - thus, lower nutrition requirements

ADVANTAGES OF HYDROPONICS

Without soil as a buffer, any failure to the hydroponic system leads to rapid plant death.

Pathogen attacks such as damp-off due to Verticillium wilt caused by the high moisture levels associated with hydroponics and over watering of soil based plants.

Many hydroponic plants require different fertilizers and containment systems.

DISADVANTAGES OF HYDROPONICS

Positive

The water stays in the system and can be reused - thus, a lower

water requirement

No nutrition pollution is released into the environment because of

the controlled system

No pesticide damage

HOW DOES HYDROPONICS IMPACTS THE ENVIRONMENT

What is Hydroponics?

There are two main types/techniques of Hydroponics name ONE and explain.

Give two advantages and two disadvantages of the hydroponic system.

Discuss one impact of this system on the environment.

ANSWER THAT QUESTION!!

END OF PRESENTATION

Oh Percival you ‘re

so smart n sexy