Intensive and profitable cropping in a greenhouse condition is possible after the advent of hydroponics.
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Hydro-water and pones -labour literally meaning water working.
Definition:
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It is science of growing plants without the use of soil, but use of an inert medium such as gravel, sand, peat, vermiculites, or saw dust to which is added a nutrient solution containing all the essential for normal growth and development.
Advantages:
1. Much higher yields than those grown on the soil.
2. It can be used in places where ordinary agriculture is impossible.
3. Quality of the produce is always superior.
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4. Freedom from soil borne diseases and weeds.
5. Less cost of management.
Essentially there are three methods by means of which plants may be grown without soil.
(1) Water Culture (Plant root in solution)
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(2) Drip Culture (Sand culture, watered with nutrient solution)
(3) Gravel Culture (Most widely used) – It needs following accessories:
(i) Nutrient tank; made of concrete, wood or metal
(ii) Benches: Gently sloping benches made of concrete or wood.
(iii) Medium: Crushed graphite of irregular shape
(iv) Solutions; Different chemical solutions
Recent improvements in soil less cultures are Nutrient film Technique (NFT), Tube culture and Aeroponics.
(NFT) is a water culture, plants grown with roots in plastic film through which nutrient solution is continuously circulated.
Tube culture is developed NFT where the nutrient solution is pumped through PVC dress pipes through which the seedlings are set into the solution flowing along the bottom of PVC.
Aeroponics is growing of plants in an opaque trough or supporting containers in which the roots are suspended and bathed in a nutrient bath mist are suspended and bathed in a nutrient bath mist rather than solution.