Those not needing aggregates to support the plant roots - the most widely used term being nutrient film technique (NFT).Īggregate or substrate systems (including other porous media)Īt its simplest hydroponics can be a plant growing in a pot of inert aggregate (such as perlite) and given water containing a liquid fertiliser from a watering can sufficiently often that is does not dry out.Those requiring aggregates or other porous rooting media (substrate) to support the plant roots - sometimes referred to as hydroculture.

Hydroponic systems can be divided into two basic types: Malvern Autumn Show - 22–24 September 2023.RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show - 5–10 September 2023.RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show - 18–20 August 2023.RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show - 2–6 August 2023.RHS Flower Show Tatton Park - 19–23 July 2023.RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival - 4–9 July 2023.Improved space and water conserving methods of food production under soil-less culture have shown some promising results all over the World. In soil-less culture, plants are raised without soil. Naturally, soil-less culture is becoming more relevant in the present scenario, to cope-up with these challenges. Under such circumstances, in near future it will become impossible to feed the entire population using open field system of agricultural production only. are threatening food production under conventional soil-based agriculture. Besides, poor soil fertility in some of the cultivable areas, less chance of natural soil fertility build-up by microbes due to continuous cultivation, frequent drought conditions and unpredictability of climate and weather patterns, rise in temperature, river pollution, poor water management and wastage of huge amount of water, decline in ground water level, etc. Again, soil fertility status has attained a saturation level, and productivity is not increasing further with increased level of fertilizer application. Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization as well as melting of icebergs (as an obvious impact of global warming), arable land under cultivation is further going to decrease. In 1960 with 3 billion population over the World, per capita land was 0.5 ha but presently, with 6 billion people it is only 0.25 ha and by 2050, it will reach at 0.16 ha. With the advent of civilization, open field/soil-based agriculture is facing some major challenges most importantly decrease in per capita land availability.

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