Concept in Definition ABC

The Hydroponics is a system of culture in which the development of plants in aqueous media is achieved without the need for soil.

This technique has a great boom today, dating from ancient times, the Aztecs used it in a successful in some of their crops, there is also evidence that the Romans put them into practice to obtain various food.

Hydroponic crops are very useful in cases where there are no suitable soils for traditional agriculture, in them the earth is replaced by other means of support for plants such as a series of channels in which elements such as stones or clay. These can be carried out in the open air or also in greenhouses when it is also necessary to control the climatic conditions to which the crops are exposed.

The most important element in hydroponics is water, which must be enriched with the minerals and nutrients that the plant requires for its growth and development. In the case of minerals, these must be provided in the form of ions so that the plant can absorb them through its roots; the most used are sodium, potassium, nitrogen, calcium, silicon, magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron and copper.

Modern hydroponic systems allow wastewater treatment to be reused repeatedly, This has two objectives, on the one hand to lower costs by being able to use the water several times and on the other hand to reduce the environmental impact negative of these sewage. Once the plants take in the nutrients, the wastewater acquires an alkaline pH, a situation similar to that of that occurs in soils after crops, which affects the fertility of the soil or growing medium in question.

The maintenance of a hydroponic culture supposes an initial investment in the structure and in control systems that allow to monitor the characteristics of water, its pH and composition to be making the adjustments that allow achieving the optimal conditions for the crops.

Hydroponics offers several advantages, it allows to control the factors Y environment where the crops are grown, thus optimizing their production, which can also be carried out continuously. Another great advantage is the fact that the crops are handled in hygienic conditions that lead to them being free of parasites, fungi or bacteria that can cause illness in the final consumers of the products, which is a constant risk in agricultural products obtained by traditional means, especially in those that are irrigated with waters contaminated with livestock excreta that could be a source of various microorganisms pathogenic for man, especially amoebas.

The main products obtained by the hydroponic cultivation method are the vegetables, such as lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, chives, aromatic plants, onions, squash, and even fruits such as strawberries, cantaloupe, and watermelons.