Hydroponics

Growing greenhouse vegetables is one of the most exacting and intensive forms of all agricultural enterprises. Hydroponics, in combination with greenhouses, requires high technology, is capital intensive, and highly productive. For success, a grower must have a clear understanding and knowledge of the following critical factors: Growing in soil is the standard method throughout the world, but soil-borne diseases, lack of control over mineral nutrition, and fruit quality are major problems in these systems. Today, hydroponics/soilless technology, in combination with greenhouse structures, better termed Controlled Environment Agriculture, must have precise control over air and root temperatures, irrigation, plant nutrition, humidity, carbon dioxide, and even light.

While the techniques of hydroponic culture are quite similar around the world, greenhouse structures and methods of environmental control can differ greatly. The principal advantages of hydroponics include high-density maximum crop yield, crop production where no suitable soil exists, a virtual indifference to ambient temperature and seasonality, more efficient use of water and fertilizer, minimal use of land area, and suitability for mechanization and disease control. A major advantage of hydroponics is the isolation of the crop from the underlying soil which often has disease problems, salinity, poor structure, and drainage. The costly and time-consuming tasks of soil sterilization and cultivation are unnecessary in hydroponic systems and a rapid turnaround of crops is readily achieved. For fruiting vegetables, the most commonly used growing media are Rockwool, peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, sand, and coco coir. Today, coco coir is rapidly becoming the most popular growing medium. For leafy greens, liquid systems consisting of water and all essential nutrient elements are provided. The plant roots are directly exposed to the nutrient solution in a closed system with the solution recycled. Hydroponic systems are undoubtedly the key to long-term success and growth of the industry. We at Surya Agrotech will provide you total solution and turnkey project set up as per customers need.