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
