Hydroponics Farming
Context:
ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Bengaluru (IIHR) has developed a variant of hydroponics named- “Cocoponics” or the Soilless production of vegetables.
Relevance:
GS – 03 (Agricultural Resources, Conservation of Resources)
Main Highlights:
- Hydroponics is a technique that challenges the traditional way of farming by growing plants using water-based nutrient solutions instead of soil. This innovative approach also uses different materials like coconut coir or perlite.
- Currently, it’s mostly used in urban farming, rooftop gardening, and commercial agriculture.
- Cocoponics: This method uses cocopeat as a base and has shown great success in various crops. From zucchini to cabbage and beyond.
Hydroponics:
- In this technique, farmers control the environment. They can adjust temperature, light intensity, and humidity to create the perfect conditions for growth. Meanwhile, they also have complete control over the nutrients.
- Farmers can ensure that plants get exactly what they need to grow strong and healthy.
- Hydroponics doesn’t limit itself to geography. It can flourish anywhere – from cities to serene rural landscapes.
- One of its biggest advantages is water conservation. Compared to traditional farming, it uses way less water because it recirculates and reuses water efficiently.
- It reduces the hassle of dealing with weeds.
- Hydroponics avoids using excess chemicals as there’s less need for herbicides and insecticides, resulting in cleaner produce.
