Vol. 11, Special Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
Sabeena Nabi, Nusrat Fayaz, Shabir Ahmad Rather and Ashfaq Ahmad Mir

Abstract:
With the advent of civilization, open field/soil-based agriculture is facing some major challenges; most importantly decrease in per capita land availability. Soil is usually the most available growing medium for plants. It provides anchorage, nutrients, air, water, etc. for successful plant growth. However, soils do pose serious limitations for plant growth too, at times. Presence of disease causing organisms and nematodes, unsuitable soil reaction, unfavorable soil compaction, poor drainage, degradation due to erosion etc. are some of them. Under such circumstances, soil-less culture can be introduced successfully. Hydroponics is the technique of growing plants in soil-less condition with their roots immersed in nutrient solution. This is important for long-range habitation of both the space stations and other planets. There are many advantages of growing plants under soil-less culture over soil-based culture. These gardens produce the healthiest crops with high yields and are consistently reliable; gardening is clean and extremely easy, requiring very little effort.