What Is Aeroponics?
Aeroponics is a technique for cultivating plants in nutrient-rich mist surroundings devoid of soil. The concept builds off that of hydroponic systems, in which the roots are held in a soilless growing medium, such as coco coir, over which nutrient-laden water is periodically pumped. Aeroponics differs from the hydroponic system as the plant roots are not engrossed in fluid media, instead straight way absorb nutrients from the aerosol. That is, the plant roots are suspended in the air and are misted or sprayed periodically with a nutrient solution or aerosol of nutrient solution.
The Advantages of Aeroponics
The biggest advantage of aeroponics is that roots are exposed to air, thus there is never an issue of insufficient oxygen. Eliminating the growing medium is very freeing for a plant’s roots: the extra oxygen they are exposed to results in faster growth.
Aeroponic systems are also extremely water-efficient.These closed-loop systems use 95 percent less irrigation than plants grown in soil and also consume 70% less water than hydroponics. And since the nutrients are held in the water, they get recycled, too.
In addition to these efficiencies, aeroponics’ eco-friendly reputation is bolstered by the ability to grow large quantities of food in small spaces. The approach is mainly employed in indoor vertical farms. And because aeroponics systems are fully enclosed, there is no nutrient runoff to foul nearby waterways. Rather than treating pest and disease with harsh chemicals, the growing equipment can simply be sterilized as needed.
The Disadvantages of Aeroponics
Its disadvantages are high maintenance of the system and high level of technical knowledge required.
Aeroponics systems require a bit of finesse to operate effectively. The nutrient concentration of the water must be maintained within precise parameters and even a slight malfunction of your equipment can cause the loss of a crop. If the misters don’t spray every few minutes – maybe because the power goes out, for example – those dangling roots will quickly desiccate.
As very tiny holes are used for spraying, this system can get clogging issues. The misters need regular cleaning to keep them from becoming clogged by mineral deposits in the water.
Environmentally-speaking: aeroponic systems rely on electrical power to pump water through the tiny misting devices. And while they can be employed in the natural light of a greenhouse, they are more often used with energy-intensive grow lights.
References:
1.Toyoki Kozai, Genhua Niu and Joseph Masabni: Plant Factory Basics, Applications and Advances, 2021, 9.3.Schematic diagram of aeroponics
2. Brian Barth: How does aeroponics work, 2018, https://modernfarmer.com/