A Review on Variety and Variability of Soil-less media for Maximizing Yield of Greenhouse Horticultural Crops

Abstract

Soil based agriculture have now a dare challenge for us in these upcoming days due to lack of land availability, massive acceleration in the field of industrialization and urbanization.  The present review deals with the alternative soil-less media for Growing plants. Soil-less media is mainly demands the best nutritional supplement for healthier growth and development. Soil-less culture is an artificial means of providing plants artificial substrates for efficient and effective use of water, fertilizers, less chemicals for eradication of pest and disease control. Substrates used in soil less culture must be lost cost, disease free, easily available and should be able to provide sufficient nutrients to crop plants grown in it. Substrate composition should be chosen depending on the kind of plant, growth stage, target quality of the product, etc. if there is slightly variation in nutritional management there will be great impact on plant life span. Substrates are grouped into three categories of materials 1) inorganic – Sand, gravel, pebbles, perlite, rock wool, vermiculite, tuff, pumice. 2) Organic – rice hulls, peat, saw dust, straw, coconut coir, paper, cardboard materials. 3) Synthetic -foam ship, sponges, moisture absorbent plastic fiber. The soil-less media can be (i) Liquid hydroponics, (ii) Solid media culture and (iii) Aeroponics. Growing media also maintain the ionic balance and water content for developing plant roots.

Cite as

Krishna Garg, Sandhya Verma, & Dr. Hitesh A. Solanki. (2021). A Review on Variety and Variability of Soil-less media for Maximizing Yield of Greenhouse Horticultural Crops. Research and Reviews: Journal of Environmental Sciences, 3(1), 1–9. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4663964