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HYDROPONICS T6C

I. INTRODUCTION

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutionswithout soil.

Hydroponics comes from the Greek hydro-, "water", and ponos, "labor"

Plants can grow using mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, suchas perlite, gravel, mineral wool, coconut husk or rice husk.

 The soil itself is not essential to plant growth. asically, soil acts as a mineralnutrient reservoir.

!e only need the mineral nutrients in the soil, but dissolve in water.

Plant roots are able to absorb them when the reuired mineral nutrients areintroduced into a plant#s water supply arti$cially.

%oil is no longer reuired for the plant to thrive.

II. ADVANTAGES 

• &o soil is needed

•  The most e'cient use of space

•  %aving water, because water stays in the system.

•  (ore crops per season.

• !ater from hydroponics can be reused, in this sense water is recycled.

• &o pollution is released into the environment .

• %table and high yields

• Pests and diseases are easier to get rid of than in soil because of the

container#s practicality.• (uch higher crop yields

• Hydroponics can be used in places where in-ground agriculture or gardening

are not possible.• )t*s a great alternative to many current climate problems as droughts, infertile

land or scarcity of land, global warming, pollution, etc.

III. DISADVANTAGES

• %oil have substances that protect the plant from chemical changes in itssurroundings. That substances are called bu+ers. !ithout soil as a bu+er, anyfailure to the hydroponic system leads to rapid plant death.

• )n oating root techniue nutrient solution neeed to be mied frecuently inthe container because mineral components tend to go down .

IV. TECHNIQUES

  The two main types of hydroponics are solution culture and medium culture.

%cience aculty (r. /os0 &ovoa 12sue3

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1. Solution culture does not use a solid medium for the roots, 4ust the nutrientsolution.

 The three main types of solution cultures are5

• %tatic solution culture 5 root oating culture• 6ontinuous-ow solution culture 5nutrient $lm techniue

• 7eroponics5 plants grow suspended in a closed or semi-closed container by

spraying the plant#sdangling roots and lower stem with an atomi3ed, nutrient-rich water solution.

8cellent aeration is the main advantage of aeroponics.

2. Te !e"iu! culture method has a solid medium for the roots and is named

for the type of medium, e.g., sand culture, gravel culture, or husk culture.

or all techniues, most hydroponic containers are built of plastic, wood,

concrete, glass or metal. )n addition, the containers should eclude light toprevent algae growth in the nutrient solution.

V. E#E$ENTS NEEDED %OR HYDROPONIC P#ANTS

!ith Hydroponics it is essential that the plants are able to access all the

elements needed to grow and be healthy. These are the elements needed, as well

as a description of there functions to the plants. 6arbon, hydrogen and oygen

are absorbed from the air and water. The rest of the elements, called mineral

nutrients, are dissolved in the nutrient solution.

Nitro&en

9&: is primary to plant growth. Plants convert nitrogen to make proteins essential

to new cell growth. &itrogen is mainly responsible for leaf and stem growth as

well as overall si3e and vigor.

 

Po'(oru'

9P: is necessary for photosynthesis and makes possible the energy transfer within

the plant. Phosphorus helps build strong roots and is vital for ower and seed

production. Highest levels of phosphorus are used during germination, seedling

growth and owering.

Pot)''iu!

9;: activates the production and movement of sugars and starches, as well as

growth by cell division. Potassium increases chlorophyll in foliage and helps

regulate stomata openings so plants make better use of light and air. Potassium

encourages strong root growth, water uptake and triggers substances that $ght

disease. Potassium is necessary during all stages of growth. )t is especially

important in the development of fruit.

$)&ne'iu!

%cience aculty (r. /os0 &ovoa 12sue3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomizedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomized

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9(g: is found as a central atom in the chlorophyll molecule and is essential to the

absorption of light energy. (agnesium aids in the utili3ation of nutrients,

neutrali3es acids and toic compounds produced by the plant.

C)lciu!

96a: is fundamental to cell production and growth. 6alcium moves slowly within

the plant and tends to concentrate in roots and older growth.

Sul(ur

9%: is a component of plant proteins and plays a role in root growth and

chlorophyll supply.

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• (agnesium sulphate

• )ron chelate

• (icronutrients oric acid =inc sulphate 6opper sulphate 7mmonium molybdate

VII. HO3 TO USE THE SO#UTIONS

!e c)n not  use the concentr)te" 'olution'  directly on plants. !e 4ust

need small volumes of solutions 7 and to prepare the nutritive solution to

use in hydroponics. %olutions 7 and have highly concentration of minerals

and need to be diluted in water to have the right mineral concentrations for

growing plants.

inally, the nutritive solution contains minerals in the following amounts5

Potassium 9;: 5 >?@ ppm )ron 9e: 5 ?.@@ ppm

&itrogen 9&:5 ?A@ ppm (anganese 9(n:5@.B ppm

6alcium 96a: 5 ?B@ ppm oron 9:5 @.B ppm

%ulphur 9%:5 C@ ppm =inc 9=n:5 @.?B ppm

(agnesium 9(g:5 DB ppm 6opper 9 6u:5 @.? ppm

Phosphorus 9P:5 EB ppm (olybdenum 9(o:5 @.@B

ppm

VIII. CROPS %OR THE UR+AN GARDEN

Hydroponics is ecellent for growing di+erent leafy crops such as lettuce,

celery, chard, basil, watercress, spinach and so on. 7lso, hydroponics can be

used for root crops such as beet, carrot, radish. )n addition for tubers such aspotatoes, bulbs as onions. ruits such as tomatoes, strawberries and pepper.

Fikewise,for growing owers, decorative and medicinal plants.

I4. E#ECTRONIC RE%ERENCES

• 8asy gardening with hydroponics.?AAA.etrieve fromhttp5www.foothillhydroponics.combookletbooklet.pdf 

• Hydroponics for home gardeners.>@@I.etrieve from

http5www.aces.edupubsdocs77&-??B?7&-??B?.pdf 

%cience aculty (r. /os0 &ovoa 12sue3

To (re()re 1 litre o5 nutritie 'olution ,ou )e to )"" / !l o5

'olution A )n" 2 !l o5 'olution + in 1 litre o5 )ter )n" 'tir .

http://www.foothillhydroponics.com/booklet/booklet.pdfhttp://www.foothillhydroponics.com/booklet/booklet.pdf