1. The document discusses different types of soilless agriculture like hydroponics and aeroponics. It describes various hydroponic systems like wick, water culture, ebb and flow, drip and nutrient film technique. 2. Aeroponics is defined as growing plants with their roots suspended in air and misted with nutrient solution. 3. The advantages and disadvantages of hydroponics and aeroponics are compared, with hydroponics using growing mediums and requiring less maintenance than aeroponics.

1. WEL-COME

2. GOVERNMENT COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING, AURANGABAD
Student’s Name : Sanika Kale.
Class : S.E. (MECH)
Roll Number : BE13F02F027
Teacher’s Name : Vishnu Potdar.

3. Index
Introduction 4
Objectives 7
Hydroponics 8
Types of hydroponics 9
i) Wick system 10
ii) Water Culture System 11
iii) Ebb and Flow system 12
iv) Drip system 13
v) Nutrition Film Technique 15
Growing medium and its types 16
We can grow… 21
Aeroponics 23
Comparison between hydroponics and Aeroponics 25
Discussion 26
Summary 28
Suggestions 29
References 30

4. Definition of Soilless agriculture :
Soilless agriculture can be defined as growing
vegetables in greenhouse systems in solid
environments other than soil which is enriched by
nutritional solutions.

6. Types of Soilless Agriculture :
1. Hydroponic : Hydroponic is nothing but the cultivation of
plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather
than in soil. The word, Hydroponic, comes from Latin and
means working water.
2. Aeroponic : Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an
air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate
medium. The word "aeroponic" is derived from the Greek
meanings of aero- (air) and ponos (labour).

7. To bring to each one present here an awareness of a
methodology of cultivation called Soil-less Cultivation.
To educate the students of how this technology can play
an important part in helping conserve water and yet
derive yields of unimaginable magnitudes.
To develop a positive attitude towards the soilless
cultivation so as to spread the knowledge and increase in
the cultivation by encouraging other people.

9. 1. Wick System
2. Water Culture System
3. Ebb & Flow System
4. Drip System
5. Nutrition Film Technique
6. Aeroponic

10. 1. Wick System
 It is the most simple and basic form
 It is a passive system i.e., it contains no
moving parts
 Easier to establish and cheaper
 Consist of Grow tray (filled with growing
medium), reservoir, wick and aeration
system
 Reservoir is a nothing but tank filled with
nutrition solution.
 Wicks are used to transport nutrition
solution to the roots of plants in grow tray
through capillary action
 Aeration system is required to maintain
level of oxygen in nutrition solution which
is useful for the health of plants

11. 2. Water Culture System
 Simplest of all active hydroponic
systems
 Roots of plants are in direct contact of
nutrition solution
 Floating platform generally made up
of Styrofoam is used to hold the plants
 Aeration system consisting of air
pump, air line and air stone is needed
for necessary supply of oxygen
 Fast growing water loving plants such
as leaf lettuce, herbs are ideal choice
for this type of hydroponic systems

12. 3. Ebb & Flow System
 As the name suggest this system follow a
continuous process of flowing (flooding)
nutrition solution to the roots and then falling
back from the flood stage to the reservoir
with certain period of time
 The time period depends on sixe and type of
plants, temperature and humidity and the type
of growing medium used.
 Solution is flooded using water pump and
drained out using drain tube.
 Main drawback is there is a vulnerability to
power outages as well as pump and timer
failures. The roots can dry out quickly when
the watering cycles are interrupted.

13. 4. Drip System
Recovery Drip Systems Non Recovery Drip Systems

14. Comparison of Recovery and Non
Recovery Drip Systems
Recovery Drip Systems
 Doesn't require precise control
of the watering cycles so
inexpensive timer can be used
 A recovery system can have
large shifts in the pH and
nutrient strength levels that
require periodic checking and
adjusting
Non Recovery Drip Systems
 Needs to have a more precise timer to
adjust watering cycles so that plants
get appropriate amount of nutrient
solution
 Requires less maintenance because
the excess nutrient solution isn't
recycled back into the reservoir, so
the nutrient strength and pH of the
reservoir will not vary

15. 5. Nutrient Film Technique
 Constant flow of nutrition solution so no
timer required for the submersible pump
 The nutrient solution is pumped into the
growing tray (usually a tube) and flows
over the roots of the plants, and then
drains back into the reservoir
 no growing medium other than air
 plant is supported in a small plastic
basket with the roots dangling into the
nutrient solution.
 very susceptible to power outages and
pump failures. The roots dry out very
rapidly when the flow of nutrient
solution is interrupted

16. Q. What is growing medium?
Answer : Growing medium is a medium other than soil which is inert and non-organic
material.
Q. Why growing medium is needed?
Answer : First of all it is used because it is the major support for the plants to hold
them up. Then these are useful because of their water holding capacity, porosity and
many other properties leading to appropriate nutrition solution supply, proper
oxygenation of roots which keeps plants healthy.
Q. What are its types? Which is the best one to be used?
Answer : There are many no. of types of growing mediums. Choice of growing
medium depends on its properties as well as type of hydroponic system used for
production of plants.
FAQ :

17. TYPES – 1. Coco coir
 Excellent moisture holding ability and
inert characteristics
 It is basically
produced
from a
brown husk
which surrounds a coconut shell
 Coconut coir is sold in small compressed
packets which expand 6 to 8 times in
volume when water is added
 Though it has good aeration property its
disadvantage is it breaks down after
several use and can not drain out quickly

18. TYPE – 2. Hydroton
 Most versatile growing mediums in
the gardening world
 HYDROTONS ARE NOT ROCKS AT
ALL !!!
 They are actually an expanded clay
product.
 Hydroton has a porous structure
which makes it easy to absorb
appropriate amount of water
 It keeps its shape as it is which leads
to ease in exchange of Oxygen with
roots
 Hydroton is a pH neutral product

19. TYPE – 3. Perlite
 Perlite is a light weight, porous and
inert material.
 It is made by heating silica (flakes of
glass) until it expands (like popcorn).
 This medium keeps plants more open
to air, while still having good water-
retention properties, and therefore it
makes a good medium for
hydroponics
 Reusable; inexpensive lightweight
filler.
 Drawback is it cannot be used alone
for ebb & flow, as it tends to float
away or move during the flooding
cycle.

20. There are many…
Vermiculite
Peat Moss
Sawdust
Coarse Sand
 Rockwool
 Pea Gravel
Grow Stones
Oasis Cubes

21. We Can Grow…

22. And also…

23. • In Aeroponic systems the roots
hang in the air and are misted
with nutrient solution.
• The mistings are usually done
every few minutes.
• Because if the roots are exposed
to the air they will dry out rapidly
if the misting cycles are
interrupted.
• In aeroponic, growing medium is
primarily air
• The aeroponic system is probably
the most high-tech type soilless
agricultural system

25. Comparison Between Aeroponic and
Hydroponic
Aeroponic
 No growing medium is
used aeroponic systems
 Aeroponic systems
typically employ boards,
foam sheets, plastic clips
or other methods to
suspend the plants in
space.
Hydroponic
 Various types of growing
mediums are used based on
the requirements in
different hydroponic
systems
 Growing mediums itself
acts as a support for plants.

26. Discussion : Hydroponic
Advantages
 Crops using hydroponic can be grown
where soil is unsuitable for traditional
agriculture like desert areas.
 Plant diseases are highly reduced due
the absence of soil
 Hydroponics uses less than 1/10th -
1/5th of the water used in soil
cultivation.
 Bigger and higher yields are obtained
Disadvantages
 Initial costs to develop
hydroponic system is higher
 Deeper knowledge and careful
study along with skilled
labouring is needed
 Needs more attention and small
mistakes may lead to much
losses

27. Discussion : Aeroponic
Advantages
 Crops are grown close together,
so more crops can be grown.
 Plants are not exposed to soil
disease or bacteria, so no
pesticide is needed, which
means healthier crops.
 The crops mature faster, which
means there will be more
harvests.
Disadvantages
 A lot of money is needed to set-
up an aeroponics farm.
 Many consumers believe that
aeroponically grown plants are
not as nutritious as other grown
plants
 Maintenance of an aeroponics
farm is very expensive.

28. Summary
 Hydroponics is relatively modern technology and can be proved as a good
option for traditional cultivation using soil for better yield of crops.
 Hydroponics are easier to establish and one can make a small garden in front
of home and can get good quality of vegetables with a little more effort.
 Aeroponics helps to conserve water, land and nutrients, so the aeroponics
system is the way of the future, making cultivation of crops easier.
 Aeroponic growing allows plants and crops to grow without the use of
pesticide and thus it will be disease free.

29. Suggestions
 More and more research work should be done on the subject.
 Government should take more interest to encourage the people for
investing in these types of cultivations.
 Various types of funding should be made available for promoting
establishment of soilless cultivation by Government on large scale.
 Educational seminars on the topic should be arranged through out the
country to educate more and more people so as to increase the soilless
type of cultivation.
 Separate topic should be included in the curriculum of agriculture to
implement the new thinking about agriculture in young generation.

30. References
 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics
 www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htm
 ag.arizona.edu/ hydroponictomatoes
 www.hydroponics.about.com
 Hydroponics for the 21st century.pdf
 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroponic
 www.aeroponics.com
 Aeroponics for vegetable growing.pdf