Soil-less agriculture

Soil-less agriculture

Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III – Sci and tech 

In news A former naval officer who is an expert in soil-less agriculture has been carrying out campaign, ‘Mission Turmeric 2021’ 

• It aims to begin an “orange revolution” by teaching people to cultivate turmeric in shade houses in grow bags (large porous containers made of high density polyethylene) packed with coco-peat (made from the pith of the coconut husk) instead of soil. 
• The method resulted in better yield with higher Curcumin content.
  • Curcumin is a bright yellow phenolic compound in Turmeric known for its potential to fight cancer.

What is soil-less agriculture? 

• In soil-less agriculture, such as hydroponics, micro and macro nutrients that have been pre-mixed into a water reservoir, along with high levels of oxygen, are delivered efficiently to the plant roots. 

• Advantages of Soilless Agriculture

• • Faster growth
  • Extreme decrease in water and nutrient use
  • Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA): CEA is a method of agriculture that optimizes the temperature, humidity, airflow, and light within the growing environment of a farm. 
  • Location: The farm is closer to the consumer, decreasing the carbon footprint of delivery and increasing the freshness of the product. 
  • Requires less space to grow

• Challenges

• • Soil-less agriculture cannot be treated as a magic solution. Besides the high initial investment, the method requires practice in order to succeed. 
  • Growers need to manage the various parameters more meticulously as compared to soil-based cultivation. 
  • And despite the good results, there is no premium pricing for the produce from hydroponics

News Source: TH