HIDROPONICS
Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants with roots suspended in water with nutrients, using any other substrate different from the soil, thus allowing to control more growth factors of the crop. Definition. It is a type of crop without soil that favors rapid growth of the plant. It consists of the partial suspension of the roots in water enriched with the necessary nutrients, which flows in recycling. In addition to having greater availability of airborne substances (oxygen, carbon hydroxide, nitrogen, etc.), vital for their growth (for example, vital for the nitrogen cycle).
Advantage.
- The use of substrates favors the elimination of pathogens in soils and makes possible the cultivation in urban areas where there are no soils.
- It allows the total control of factors such as humidity, pressure and nutrition; control over the growth rates of the plant.
- It also avoids the use of pesticides. In hydroponics, water with nutrients can be reused. Thus you can achieve savings in water and nutrients of up to 60% compared to conventional irrigation
Disadvantages
- Strict control of irrigation is needed: it has to be adjusted to the needs of the plant and must be constant over time.
- Irrigation control is easily achieved with automation, which requires an increase in energy use.
- The cost of the installation is increased by adding the hydroponic automatic irrigation control factor. (Source: http://saludologia.com/alimentacion/ventajas-y-desventajas-de-la-hidroponia/).
- This type of crops consumes more water and nutrients than aeroponic crops.