Aeroponics pt 2

Agenda:

• Advantages

• Disadvantages
• Benefits of Aeroponics for earth and space

Advantages of Aeroponics:

· (Growing systems): Allow for clean, efficient, and rapid food production (MAIN Feature)

ð Planting and harvesting of plants can be conducted all year round without any form of interruption and contamination of soil, pesticides and residue. Plants grow fast because their roots have access to a lot of oxygen 24/7.

· High mobility rate: Plants, including the whole nurseries, can be transferred to and fro effortlessly as all that is required is moving the plants from one collar to another.

ð (Combination of the first two advantages) E.G. Initially and traditionally, tomatoes are grown in pots and one will have to wait up to at least 28 days before transplanting them into the ground. Nonetheless, by making use of an Aeroponic system, growers can start the plants in the growing chamber before transplanting them just 10 days later. This advanced technology produces six tomato crop cycles yearly, instead of the traditional one of two crop cycles.

· Limit disease transmission among plants of the SAME or DIFFERENT species - 1. Reduction of plant-to-plant contact and due to the sterility of each spray pulse

ð The more confined the plant support is, the greater incidence and chance of increased disease pressure among plants and the Aeroponic system.

ð When the plants are grown in soil, aggregate or other media, spreading of diseases throughout the growth media is prevalent and thus, infecting many plants. Nevertheless, when grown in Aeroponic condition, since the environment is clean and sterile, chances of spreading of plant diseases and infection in soil and other growing media is GREATLY reduced. In most greenhouses, these solid media will require sterilization after each crop. However, frequently, they are simply discarded and replaced with fresh, sterile media.

· 2. Removal of infected plants from plant support structures

ð As Aeroponic plants grow in SPECIAL condition which is disease-free, it result in the higher density of numerous types of plants’ growth = more plants grown per square meter in comparison to more conventional cultivation such as Hydroponics.

· Absence of Transport Shock: During the development of roots, seedlings neither stretch nor wilt. Upon the formation of roots, the plants can be easily moved into any type of growing media without possessing the risk of being set back to their usual growth.

· *Reduction of:

1. Water usage - 98%

2. Fertilizer usage – 60%

3. Pesticide usage – 100%

*The reduction mentioned above is only possible while maximizing crop yields.

ð Less need for nutrients and water too

· More nutritious and healthier plants being harvested: Able to absorb more minerals and vitamins as the nutrient absorption rate is higher

· (Commercial Aeroponic; In 1986 Stoner was the first person ever to market fresh aeroponically grown food to a national grocery chain. Stoner is considered the father of commercial aeroponics. Stoner's aeroponic systems are in major developed countries around the world. His aeroponic designs, technology and equipment are widely used at leading agricultural universities worldwide and by commercial growers.) – Allows the roots of the plants to expand wider by incorporating the necessary hardware features into the system

· Conducting of various research: Provide a non-invasive way for scientists to examine and study growing roots by utilising a greater and various types of experimental parameters during their research. Likewise, scientists are also able to study water stress due to the capability to control the root zone moisture levels and the amount of water delivered. E.G. K. Hubick evaluated aeroponics as a means to produce consistent, minimally water-stressed plants for use in drought or flood physiology experiments. Not only that, one can study root morphology due to the absence of aggregates as scientists can have easy access to the whole and intact root structures without damaging the roots that can be caused by removal of roots from soils or aggregates. It’s been noted that Aeroponics produces more normal root systems than hydroponics.

· Increase air exposure

ð For a plant to grow healthily and successfully, sufficient amount of air is required to be optimised and accessed to them by the air cultures. Moreover, the necessary materials and devices which support the growing plants must be devoid of disease or pathogens too. Since Aeroponic culture provides monomial plant support features, it will allow for the ENTIRE plants to be grown in air. Long-term lasting Aeroponic cultivation requires the root systems to be free of constraints surrounding the stem and root systems. Physical contact is minimized so that it does not hinder natural growth and root expansion or access to pure water, air exchange and disease-free conditions.

· ALMOST ALL types of plants can grown in Aeroponics Conditions

ð It is possible as long as there is the presence of an abundance and adequate air (oxygen), water and nutrient supply, and due to the fact that aeroponics is conducted in air combined with micro-droplets of water. In addition, since air supplies the required amount of oxygen to plants, they can grow naturally as they have unrestricted access to air. Therefore, it will result in a successful physiological development for plants.

· (Crops): A potential source of fresh oxygen and clean drinking water

· Requires little space –One will not need much space to start an aeroponics garden. According to some systems, they can allow plants to be stacked up one on top of each other. (Aeroponics is basically a modular system, which is perfect for maxing out limited space.)

· The only

PRACTICAL WAY

to grow plants in urban settlements: One can learn how to master plant growth and learn about their needs, within a controlled environment.

· Budding farm: Cost of setting up an aeroponic nursery may be cheaper than acquiring a large plot of land to farm on. Similarly,on arid lands, aeroponics system can circumvent the dry weather condition and provide the best means for growing plants effectively and at a faster rate

Disadvantages of Aeroponics:

• Reliance on the system – A typical aeroponics system is made up of high pressure pumps, sprinklers and timers. Thus, if any of these break down, the plants can be damaged or killed easily. E.G. The system is vulnerable to a power outage. Exposed roots will rapidly dry out and kill the plant eventually. Mister spray heads may also have a tendency to clog and not produce mist when needed.
• Advancement of the system: The system may be too developed that it may lack the sufficient parts for a plant to grow healthily. E.G. Once a plant grows it will require some complex support mechanism because there is no growth medium to counterbalance and anchor the plant.
• Certain level of Technical knowledge required – One will need to acquire knowledge on running an aeroponic system. E.G. Knowledge of nutrients amounts required by different types of plants is vital as we do not have any redundant soil to absorb excess or wrong nutrients supplied.
• Frequent cleaning of the root chamber – To prevent the roots from contracting any disease, the root chamber must not be contaminated. To do so, we need to disinfect the root chamber regularly and Hydrogen peroxide is often used as a disinfectant.
• High cost – Most aeroponic systems are not cheap in price. Their selling price may cost as much as hundreds of dollars each.

Benefits of Aeroponics for earth and space:

· Decrease amount of nutrient solution throughput

ð Aeroponically grown plants usually spend 99.98% of their time in air and 0.02% in direct contact with hydro-atomized nutrient solution. The time spent without water in the air enables the roots to absorb oxygen more efficiently and at a faster rate. Moreover, the hydro-atomized mist also allows the effective oxygenation of the roots to a large extend.E.G. NFT has a nutrient throughput of 1 L/minute whereas aeroponics’ throughput of 1.5 ml/minute.

ð Furthermore, a reduction volume of nutrient throughput leads to a reduction in both the amounts of nutrients required for the growth of the plants and the water volume used. However, the latter reduction can only occur when in space and have to correspond with a reduced buffer volume. Both of them help to lighten the weight needed to maintain plant development considerably and the volume of effluent from the plants.

NASA aeroponic lettuce seed germination- Day 12

· Greater control of plant environment

ð E.G. Environment around the root zone

ð Due to the fact that the plant roots are not constantly surrounded by some medium as compared to hydroponics, where the roots are constantly immersed in water

NASA aeroponic lettuce seed germination (close-up of root zone environment)- Day 19

· Improved nutrient feeding

ð Different nutrient solutions can be administered to the root zone excluding the need to flush out any solution or matrix in which the roots had previously been immersed. This improved and useful method is beneficial to humans in researching the effect of a varied regimen of nutrient application to the roots of a plant species of interest.

ð A greater range of growth is allowable than other nutrient delivery systems. E.G. The interval and duration of the nutrient spray can be very finely attuned to the needs of a specific plant species. The aerial tissue can be subjected to a completely different environment from that of the roots.

· More user-friendly

Plants’ parts are separated from one another with the plants being suspended in air and the roots being entrapped in no medium at all. Thus, simple and easy harvest among various types of plants can be effectually carried out. Likewise, removal of any infected plant without the risk of uprooting or contaminating any nearby plants can be accomplished too.

· More cost effective

ð Due to the reduced volume of solution throughput as mentioned above. Hence, less water and nutrients are required at any given time compared to other nutrient delivery systems.

Close-up of aeroponically grown corn/roots inside an aeroponic (air-culture) apparatus, 2005

· Use of seed stocks

ð Greatly reduced the risk and the deleterious effects of seed stocks getting infected with pathogens due to the separation of the plants and the lack of shared growth matrix and due to the enclosed environment where the seedlings are grown. Thus, it helps the plants to prevent be pathogens-free from the external environment and minimize the spreading of disease among plants