Hydroponics. NASA researcher checking hydroponic onions with Bibb lettuce to his left and radishes to the right Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture, the method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent.[1] Terrestrial plants may be grown with only their roots exposed to the mineral solution, or the roots may be supported by an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel.
The nutrients in hydroponics can be from fish waste, duck manure, or normal nutrients. History[edit] In 1929, William Frederick Gericke of the University of California at Berkeley began publicly promoting that solution culture be used for agricultural crop production.[3][4] He first termed it aquaculture but later found that aquaculture was already applied to culture of aquatic organisms. Reports of Gericke's work and his claims that hydroponics would revolutionize plant agriculture prompted a huge number of requests for further information. Techniques[edit] Static solution culture[edit]
Aeroponics. Close-up of lettuce and wheat grown in an aeroponic apparatus, NASA, 1998. Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium (known as geoponics). The word "aeroponic" is derived from the Greek meanings of aero- (air) and ponos (labour). Aeroponic culture differs from both conventional hydroponics, aquaponics, and in-vitro (plant tissue culture) growing.
Unlike hydroponics, which uses a liquid nutrient solution as a growing medium and essential minerals to sustain plant growth; or aquaponics which uses water and fish waste, aeroponics is conducted without a growing medium.[1][not in citation given] Because water is used in aeroponics to transmit nutrients, it is sometimes considered a type of hydroponics. Methods[edit] High-pressure aeroponics is defined as delivering nutrients to the roots via 20–50 micrometre mist heads using a high-pressure (80 pounds per square inch (550 kPa)) diaphragm pump. Nutrient uptake[edit] NOLA Gets First Aeroponic Urban Farm. Louisiana-based Aquaponic Modular Production Systems , an urban agriculture development company, just announced the debut of a project — the first aeroponic farm in New Orleans.
The Tower Garden is hosted by Hollygrove Farm and Market to showcase an innovative, fast, and eco-friendly way to grow fresh produce for the community. The design is a closed-loop system that uses nutrient-enriched water, not soil, to grow food. The recirculating farm has no water runoff and is expected to yield upwards of 40 pounds of greens per week, according to a statement by AMPS. AMPS says The Tower Garden can “ efficiently capture and repurpose waste, recycle water to reduce consumption, and grow food virtually anywhere – indoors or outside and in oddly shaped spaces. “ It’s made with food-safe plastic suitable for outdoor use and allows 44 plants to grow in five square feet. [+] More about Aquaponic Modular Production Systems . Credits: AMPS. Article tags: hydroponic.
The Commercial Leader in Urban Agriculture and Farming | AeroFarms. Startup Profile: AeroFarms - Urban Agriculture Aeroponic Systems. March 29, 2011 | Robert Puro People are moving in ever increasing numbers from rural areas into urban city centers. Global population is expected to increase by nearly 40% to 9 billion people in the next 40 years. Threats to agriculture from climate change, loss of arable land, pesticide resistance, and water shortages continue to grow more acute. As noted in our previous article “Urban and Agriculture Can Coexist,” cities and their attendant entrepreneurs will need to embrace urban agriculture in order to meet this future demand for food and ensure food security.
Seedstock recently spoke with Ed Harwood, CEO of AeroFarms, whose company has created an aeroponic growing system (a controlled environmental agriculture system that grows produce without soil and without sun, all year round and in any location) with the potential to revolutionize and jumpstart the nascent urban agriculture movement and help to sustainably meet the food needs of a growing world. Aeroponic Systems. Progressive Plant Growing is a Blooming Business. Progressive Plant Growing is a Blooming Business Soil.
Water. Say that plants don't need them and people may think you've traded your cow -- and your good sense -- for a handful of beans. But NASA-sponsored plant experiments prove that you don't need soil and lots of water to grow a beanstalk that would make Jack proud. Plants have been to space since 1960, but NASA's plant growth experiments began in earnest during the 1990s. Image at right: These plants have developed healthy root systems without soil in a rapid-growth aeroponic system. In 1997, NASA-sponsored studies aboard the Mir space station studied adzuki bean seeds and seedlings, a high-protein Asian food crop. While all of the seeds did well, those aboard Mir grew more than those on Earth.
Results from NASA's research aboard Mir has contributed to rapid-growth systems now used on Earth. Aeroponic growing systems provide clean, efficient, and rapid food production. The suspended system also has other advantages. Aeroponic Systems uses NASA aeroponics to grow food.