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Soilless farming: a key tool of precision agriculture for reducing environmental footprints, increasing water-use efficiency and crop yield under climate change
* 1 , * 2, 3 , 4 , 5 , 4 , 2 , 2
1  Jiangsu University
2  a Research Center of Fluid Machinery Engineering and Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
3  b State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China
4  School of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
5  College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing g 210031, China
Academic Editor: Mirza Hasanuzzaman

Abstract:

The present study discusses the currently accessible modern farming system under changing climate scenarios. Traditionally, plants are grown in open farming methods but climate change, urbanization, industrialization, and population growth have raised concerns about global food insecurity issues. Studies have reported that it would be difficult to provide enough food supply to the growing population using open-field farming systems. Therefore, we should change the farming pattern by introducing precision agriculture tools in traditional agriculture. Soilless farming is the modern practice of crop growing exclusive of the support of soil by providing water and solid particles as a rooting medium in an artificial supporting system. It is mainly practiced with two methods including solid media and water culture. Solid media is described as the growing of plants in a solid organic or inorganic media such as woodchips, barks, fleece, peat moss, sawdust, marc, and coco peat. The inorganic substrate includes zeolite, vermiculite, gravel, rock wool, sand, glass wool, etc. The water culture is different than solid media, where crops are grown in a water-rich solution. In the system, the plant's roots are continually or interval soaked or flooded with/ in the solution. The upper parts of plants are put above supporting trays of growth boxes. Hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics are the three types of water culture. This study found that soilless farming is cost-effective, higher yields, and quicker harvests from smaller areas of land than soil-based farming. Furthermore, it can provide many benefits; including it can deal with growing food issues and rapid climate variations for competent consumption of existing natural sources. Also, the method is suggested to be practiced in those regions having less arable land, rapid environmental changes, and increasing food challenges with the indigenous population.

Keywords: aeroponics, hydroponics, aquaponics, smart farming, substrate culture

 
 
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