Hydroponic Research Articles

Socialization of aquaponics techniques for business efficiency at Aling Hydroponic Farm, Sandakan Sabah Malaysia

Aquaponics is the application of integrated agricultural techniques between the cultivation of fish and vegetables that are environmentally friendly with efficient use of inputs and optimizing production. Aling Hydroponics Farm has long applied hydroponic techniques for cultivating vegetables, apart from also cultivating fish using fiber ponds. However, the application of these two techniques has not been integrated so that it is not efficient in using production inputs. This international collaborative community service activity aims to socialize aquaponic techniques to Aling Hidroponik Farm partners as an effort to increase the efficiency of resource use in farming. The method of implementing activities uses visits and discussions at hydroponic cultivation and fish cultivation locations. This activity was attended by lecturers from the Faculty of Agriculture, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar and lecturers from the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, students and the community. The results of the activity showed that the participants were very enthusiastic about taking part in the activity, the participants actively asked questions and expressed opinions regarding the opportunities and obstacles to implementing the aquaponic system from economic and social aspects.

Friends and Foes: Bacteria of the Hydroponic Plant Microbiome

Hydroponic greenhouses and vertical farms provide an alternative crop production strategy in regions that experience low temperatures, suboptimal sunlight, or inadequate soil quality. However, hydroponic systems are soilless and, therefore, have vastly different bacterial microbiota than plants grown in soil. This review highlights some of the most prevalent plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and destructive phytopathogenic bacteria that dominate hydroponic systems. A complete understanding of which bacteria increase hydroponic crop yields and ways to mitigate crop loss from disease are critical to advancing microbiome research. The section focussing on plant growth-promoting bacteria highlights putative biological pathways for growth promotion and evidence of increased crop productivity in hydroponic systems by these organisms. Seven genera are examined in detail, including Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Rhizobium, Paenibacillus, and Paraburkholderia. In contrast, the review of hydroponic phytopathogens explores the mechanisms of disease, studies of disease incidence in greenhouse crops, and disease control strategies. Economically relevant diseases caused by Xanthomonas, Erwinia, Agrobacterium, Ralstonia, Clavibacter, Pectobacterium, and Pseudomonas are discussed. The conditions that make Pseudomonas both a friend and a foe, depending on the species, environment, and gene expression, provide insights into the complexity of plant–bacterial interactions. By amalgamating information on both beneficial and pathogenic bacteria in hydroponics, researchers and greenhouse growers can be better informed on how bacteria impact modern crop production systems.

Automated IoT Solutions for Efficient Hydroponic Farming: Nutrients, PH and Lighting Management

Automated IoT Solutions for Efficient Hydroponic Farming: Nutrients, PH and Lighting Management

Concentration and non-carcinogenic risk assessment of heavy metals in leafy vegetables among different farming practices

ABSTRACT Accumulation of heavy metals in vegetables grown using different farming methods, particularly when these metals poses significant health risks. This study investigates the levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and antimony (Sb), in leafy vegetables (coriander, fenugreek, and mint) grown using three different farming methods, i.e. conventional, organic, and hydroponic farming methods. Non-carcinogenic health risks were assessed using the estimated metal daily intake (MDI) and target hazard quotient (HQ) for each metal. The cumulative non-carcinogenic hazard posed by exposure to these heavy metals was further evaluated by determining the health risk index (HI). The heavy metal concentrations in conventionally, organically and hydroponically grown vegetables ranged from 0.01 to 4.49 mg per kg, 0.01 to 1.95 mg per kg, and 0.01 to 3.56 mg per kg respectively, which revealed that leafy vegetables grown conventionally and hydroponically contain significantly higher concentrations of these heavy metals compared to those grown organically grown leafy vegetables. The HI value of coriander, fenugreek and mint leaves for all the studied metals range from 0.17 to 0.35 in organic, 0.94 to 1.96 in conventional and 0.73 to 1.49 in hydroponic leafy vegetables respectively, which suggested that the intake of conventionally and hydroponically grown can expose adults and children to adverse non-carcinogenic health effects. The results emphasise the importance of stringent monitoring of agricultural inputs and water quality across all farming methods to mitigate heavy metal contamination and ensure food safety.

The Use of Participatory Modelling Methods in Agri-Environmental Research – A Systematic Mapping Dataset

Participatory modelling (PM) is a transdisciplinary research approach that involves stakeholder in a modelling process to develop or improve qualitative or quantitative models. To better understand the potential uses of PM in the emerging field of agroecology living lab research, I conducted a systematic search of the peer-reviewed literature and describe 78 participatory agri-environmental case studies in this dataset. Bibliographic data are included and each case study is described in terms of main goal(s), PM method(s) used, involved stakeholders and their contributions and the level of stakeholder participation in the project. I also extracted key metadata (if available), such as publication type and year, study location (country), funding source, project duration and outcomes beyond publications. This dataset adds value by revealing clusters and associations of methods and goals, by showing the dominating role of researchers in this type of participatory research, by pointing out the absence of PM in certain areas of agricultural production, such as hydroponic farming or viticulture and by providing a comprehensive foundation for the related research article. It also contained data not used in the related research article that could provide a basis for future research, such as linking methods, goals and stakeholder involvement with other metadata or comparing this agri-environmental research and other areas.

Sustainable development goals, governance and assessment of the impact of urban growth on vegetation cover in Benin City, Nigeria, using land-use–land-cover change trajectories

Land-use/cover (LULC) and governance are key elements in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. This study focused primarily on LULC changes in Benin City, Nigeria, from 1992 to 2022; to examine how urban growth affected vegetation cover across four time points: 1992, 2002, 2015 and 2022. Variable LULC classifications considered included: built-up areas, open spaces/bare lands, vegetations, waterbodies and wetlands. In three decades (1992–2022), increases in the built-up, open space/bare land and wetland LULC were observed and attributed to population increases and higher infrastructural demands whereas evident reductions in the sizes of vegetation and waterbody categories were ascribed to anthropogenic activities and climate events. The average annual rates of change in the built-up and vegetation LULC increased (7.28%) and decreased (−3.02%), respectively, between 1992 and 2022; with the built-up area experiencing a 218% increase from 6493 to 20,672 (km2) whereas vegetation decreased by 90% from 23,445 to 2239 (km2). The corollary is that urban growth, exemplified by the built-up LULC, was progressive while vegetation cover was depleted, in the 30-year period. Changes in five other periods were also interrogated. Government and stakeholders-promoted afforestation and agroforestry programs are recommended as plausible solutions to check vegetation-cover depletion. Other solutions proffered include the support of relevant farmers’ trainings in climate-smart and hydroponic agriculture, and the application of sustainable farming techniques. Policymakers and estate developers/managers should encourage sustainable land governance and cities with resilience and coping capacities; to tackle the problem of climate change, with high emphasis on green area developments.

Manure sterilization reduced antibiotic resistance genes in lettuce endophytes

Livestock manure is commonly utilized as a fertilizer in agricultural system, potentially resulting in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to plants. This raises concerns about the efficiency of manure treatment methods in reducing ARGs. Although sterilization treatment is frequently applied to mitigate the microbial loads, its efficacy in reducing ARGs remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of sterilized vs. unsterilized manure on the profiles of ARGs and bacterial community in a hydroponic lettuce system. After the 20-day cultivation period, 68 ARGs and 18 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were identified. Manure sterilization not only promoted lettuce growth but also resulted in a reduction of ARG and MGE subtypes by 50.00%–86.21% in lettuce endophytes. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Firmicute were the dominant phyla, with a notable reduction of 70.05%–99.01% in Firmicutes by sterilization in lettuce endophytes. The predominant human pathogenic bacteria genera were Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, and Bacillus, and sterilization effectively reduced the presence of Bacillus. Moreover, the estimated intake of ARGs in leaf endophytes ranged from 2.88 × 105 to 9.16 × 108 copies per day, including 6 high-risk ARGs. Manure sterilization reduced the association between high-risk ARGs and human pathogenic bacteria. The interaction between bacterial community and MGEs shaped ARG patterns with a contribution of 81.87%. Overall, these findings highlighted the critical role of sterilization in reducing ARGs in the manure used for hydroponic agriculture, providing guidance in waste management, crop safety, and public health.

Single-shot LIBS: A rapid method for in situ and precise nutritional evaluation of hydroponic lettuce

Hydroponic farming has emerged as a promising method that can enable year around crop production, particularly in regions with non-arable land. Ensuring precise control over nutrient levels and growing conditions is imperative for optimizing crop quality and nutritional value. However, the existing state-of-the-art nutrient assessment methods demand tedious sample preparation and often prove to be either destructive or offline, lacking in options for in situ monitoring. Previous approaches to nutritional evaluation using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) utilized multiple laser shots or labor-intensive sample preparation to achieve enhanced sensitivity. In this context, we propose a single-shot LIBS system with a custom-made optical collection unit coupled to spectrograph to improve sensitivity and reduce sample damage by employing low excitation energy levels (~ 1.5 mJ). This study demonstrates in situ nutrient monitoring of hydroponically grown lettuce leaves and roots using single-shot LIBS analysis, paving the way for enhanced crop cultivation practices and improved agricultural productivity. Additionally, we discuss energy optimization strategies aimed at improving sensitivity and achieving a high signal-to-background ratio, which are essential for effective and safe nutrient monitoring and analysis in hydroponic farming systems. The results and analysis reveal that highly reproducible and sensitive LIBS spectra can be obtained directly from lettuce plants without any prior sample preparation.Graphical

Automated vs. Semi-Automated Hydroponics

The issue of hydroponic farming is the ongoing requirement to maintain and control the artificial growing environment to enable optimal plant growth. The quality of the plants growing on the farm can be significantly impacted by changes in the climate, natural light, and fertilizer solution at any time during the plant's growth cycle. According to studies, every 3°C increase in ambient temperature from the optimal range reduces crop productivity by 10 to 40%. Therefore, by automatically supplying ideal growth conditions throughout the growing cycle, IoT-based automation is crucial to achieving optimal plant growth. In this work, lettuce is grown simultaneously in two distinct hydroponic Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems, one of which is fully automated and the other semi-automated. In terms of plant growth metrics, such as plant elevation, maximum plant length, maximum plant breadth, and weight of both fresh and dry-farmed lettuce, this paper compared a fully automated farm and a semi-automated NFT farm for growing lettuce. The outcomes demonstrate that the ariel weight of fresh and dry lettuce and root weight of fresh and dry lettuce had average improvements of 10.4 gm, 0.7 gm, 0.11 gm, 0.7 gm, and 3, respectively in the fully automated setup. Findings also demonstrated that IoT-based automation enhances the growth of lettuce plants on farms when comparing a completely automatic hydroponic farm to a semi-automatic hydroponic farm, in terms of plant height, width, and total leaf count.

Edukasi dan Pelatihan Penanaman Hydroponik, Solusi Pemanfaatan Lahan Sempit Pemukiman Padat

Hydroponic planting education and training is an activity carried out to answer the needs of residents for the problem of decreasing agricultural land which makes food in the market very volatile. The hydroponic farming system provides an alternative solution for residents to be able to garden without having to have a large area of land. This education and training introduces the hydroponic farming method starting from planting media, seedlings, maintenance and harvesting. As a result of this education and training, the community can begin to understand the importance of utilizing the narrow land in residential areas as a farming area with hydroponic methods.

Progressing environmental sustainability in hydroponic greenhouse systems: Embracing circular bioeconomy through compost and biochar pathways

The global population growth and awareness about the important role of vitamins in human health drive demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. In line with this need, greenhouse cultivation addresses year-round availability, but chemicals pose challenges. Hydroponic systems control pests, boost yields, and decrease chemicals while faced with significant waste generation. Waste generated by hydroponic systems holds potential for repurposing into value-added products, which aligns with the principles of the circular bioeconomy. However, before embracing widespread adoption, it is crucial to assess its environmental compatibility. This study employs a life cycle assessment approach to compare hydroponic tomato production in greenhouses under conventional and circular bioeconomy systems. The first scenario (Sc-1) encompasses hydroponic tomato production in a greenhouse system under a conventional system. The second scenario (Sc-2) involves the production of tomatoes, along with the conversion of residue of tomato production into compost. The third scenario (Sc-3) closely resembled Sc-2, while valorizing residue of tomato production into biochar. The outcomes indicate that per kg of tomato production under Sc-1 leads to a damage of 4.32 × 10−6 DALY to human health, 4.33E−06 species.yr to ecosystems, and 1.82 × 10−1 USD2013 to resources. The results of weighting of environmental damages also shows a total environmental damage of 75.36 mPt per kg of tomato production under Sc-1 which is mainly based on the production and consumption of natural gas. The findings demonstrate that Sc-2 and Sc-3 exhibit a diminished potential on damage to human health, ecosystems, and resource compared to Sc-1, respectively. Accordingly, in comparison to Sc-1, Sc-2 leads to an approximately 11% reduction in total weighted environmental impacts, while Sc-3 results in an approximately 4% reduction in total weighted environmental impacts. Based on these outcomes, integrating compost and biochar production into hydroponic tomato systems holds significant potential for environmental benefits. Accordingly, further research and development efforts should focus on optimizing the efficiency and scalability of composting and biochar production technologies to maximize their impact on sustainability in hydroponic tomato production.

A System Architecture for Early Wilt Detection in Hydroponic Crops: An Implementation and Assessment

Abstract Hydroponic farming systems have a high risk of failure if the disaster is not mitigated and responded to quickly. Hydroponic plants only rely on mineral water that flows through their roots as a source of life; thus, any malfunction will have an immediate impact on the plant. If plant wilting is not recognized and not treated quickly, the plant will experience stress and have the potential to fail. To ensure that major disasters do not occur, an early warning mechanism is needed that can provide disaster information to farmers. In this study, an intelligent system architecture was built to detect premature wilt in hydroponic vegetable plants. It combines the capabilities offered by the OV2640 image sensor and ESP32-S system-on-chip, the Internet of Things, deep learning based on convolutional neural networks, and cloud computing to create a robust and low-cost remote plant condition monitoring solution. As a proof-of-concept, a prototype system is built, and performance tests are carried out to find out how robust and effective the proposed design is. Based on the results of the prototype test, it can be seen that the system built can run properly with an accuracy of wilting recognition of up to 90.90%, which was tested on samples of vertically grown mustard plants in a hydroponic greenhouse.

Exploring Trachyspermum ammi and Foeniculum vulgare in Hydroponic System and Compare its Chemical Constituents with Soil-Based Method: A Prospective in Agriculture.

The forthcoming problems will be of food, and soil due to environmental alteration, growing populations, pollution, and exhaustion of natural resources among other factors. Hydroponic farming has the capacity to alleviate the intimidation of these con-cerned issues in the agricultural system. Hydroponics is recommended as an alternative way to enhance product yield compared to conventional agriculture. The present study aimed to determine the different growth parameters and constituents of soil-grown and hydroponically grown Trachyspermum ammi and Foeniculum vulgare for the first time, which could be a patentable in future. In this study, extraction was carried out by maceration method using methanol as a solvent whereas, growth parameters were performed by the leaves number, plant height, and leaf area. Chlorophyll content was also performed in both sources. Further, a comparison of chemical constituents from different sources was analyzed by GC-MS. The bioactive components in hydroponically grown T. ammi were found more as compared to soil-grown T. ammi. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of various compounds in the methanolic extract of plant materials. Hence, hydroponics could be an alternative in agriculture and this system is now accepted globally. This method provides diverse perspectives for farmers to harvest high-yield, better quality, and enhanced bioactive compounds.

Design and Analysis of Solar Water Pump Systems for Hydroponic Agriculture

Design and Analysis of Solar Water Pump Systems for Hydroponic Agriculture

Microcystin-degrading bacteria reduce bioaccumulation in Fragaria vulgaris and enhance fruit yield and quality

In Morocco, red fruit production has thrived, primarily utilizing hydroponic methods to control crops, increase fruit yield and quality, and avoid soil-related problems. However, the irrigation of these expansive hydroponic farms relies heavily on water sourced from dams, many of which are contaminated with Microcystins (MCs). To address this contamination issue, ongoing research is focused on discovering effective and cost-efficient biological solutions for eliminating MCs. In this study, we isolate and identify bacterial strains capable of degrading MCs, evaluate the rate of degradation, and investigate how soil inoculated with these bacteria affects the accumulation of MCs in plant tissue. The partial 16S rRNA analyses of three bacterial sequences were conducted, identifying them through NCBI as follows: Ensifer sp. (B1) isolated from soil, Shinella sp. (B2) from a cyanobacterial bloom, and Stutzerimonas sp. (B3) from water. These bacteria exhibited the ability to degrade MCs, with approximately 34.75%, 73.75%, and 30.1% of the initial concentration (20 µg/L) being removed after a 6-day period for B1, B2, and B3, respectively. Moreover, strawberry plants were cultivated hydroponically in a greenhouse for a duration of 90 days. These plants were subjected to extracts of cyanobacteria containing 10 and 20 µg/L of Microcystins (MC), as well as water from an artificial lake contaminated with MC, both with and without the presence of isolated bacterial strains. Among these strains, Shinella sp. exhibited the highest efficacy in mitigating MC accumulation. Specifically, it resulted in a reduction of approximately 1.159 µg of MC per kilogram of root dry weight, leading to complete elimination in the leaves and fruits. The findings also indicated that the inoculation of perlite with the three MC-degrading bacterial strains significantly enhanced growth, photosynthetic pigments, yield, biochemical constituents, and quality attributes of strawberries (p ≤ 0.05). These promising outcomes suggest the potential of this approach for addressing the adverse impacts of crops irrigated with MC-contaminated water in future agricultural practices.

Design and Comparison of Vertical and Horizontal Hydroponic Systems for Coriander and Spinach Growth

Understanding the differences in growth performance between these two systems will provide valuable insights for optimizing hydroponic farming practices, particularly in regions with harsh climates and limited water access, where sustainable and efficient food production is crucial for addressing future food security challenges. As the global population continues to grow and climate stress intensifies, indoor/vertical farming is to complement traditional agricultural practices by enhancing sustainable food production and ensuring high-quality produce. The study demonstrated that the horizontal hydroponic system was significantly more effective for growing coriander than the vertical system. In summary, the horizontal hydroponic system consistently outperformed the vertical system for both spinach and coriander, with particularly pronounced results for coriander. Since the shoot is the main economic part of both spinach and coriander, the vertical hydroponic system outperforms the horizontal system, offering significant advantages for economic production. These findings highlight the importance of using vertical hydroponic systems to achieve higher and more profitable yields of these crops.

A Systematic Literature Review on Parameters Optimization for Smart Hydroponic Systems

Hydroponics is a soilless farming technique that has emerged as a sustainable alternative. However, new technologies such as Industry 4.0, the internet of things (IoT), and artificial intelligence are needed to keep up with issues related to economics, automation, and social challenges in hydroponics farming. One significant issue is optimizing growth parameters to identify the best conditions for growing fruits and vegetables. These parameters include pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), light intensity, daily light integral (DLI), and nutrient solution/ambient temperature and humidity. To address these challenges, a systematic literature review was conducted aiming to answer research questions regarding the optimal growth parameters for leafy green vegetables and herbs and spices grown in hydroponic systems. The review selected a total of 131 papers related to indoor farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics. The review selected a total of 123 papers related to indoor farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics. The majority of the articles focused on technology description (38.5%), artificial illumination (26.2%), and nutrient solution composition/parameters (13.8%). Additionally, remaining 10.7% articles focused on the application of sensors, slope, environment and economy. This comprehensive review provides valuable information on optimized growth parameters for smart hydroponic systems and explores future prospects and the application of digital technologies in this field.

Estimating the global warming potential of animal waste-based organic liquid fertilizer for urban hydroponic farms

Urban farms, particularly those utilizing vertical space and hydroponics, have the potential to address many challenges of the existing food system. The use of organic inputs in hydroponics can conserve dwindling non-renewable resources and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer production and use. The study compared plant growth using organic liquid fertilizer (OLF) from insect and chicken waste in a two-step aerobic bioreactor. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants were grown with an inorganic fertilizer control and a novel OLF at two separate locations. In the first part of the study, plant yield, nutrient uptake and tissue elemental composition were used to validate the functional equivalency of OLF versus inorganic fertilizer. The second part of the study used these results to conduct a life-cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify GHG mitigation potential of the novel OLF. N-mass balance showed a liquid nitrogen conversion rate ∼40% for the bioreaction. Solid output from the bioreaction contained approximately 35% of the initial N. N-gaseous loss was approximately 25% of total N-input. Because the nature of gaseous N-loss was unknown, LCA modeled different scenarios varying the percent of gaseous N-loss as N2O, as it is the only nitrogen-based gas with appreciable global warming potential. Models showed that N2O leakage during bioreaction must be below 5% of total N-input for OLF to mitigate GHG emissions associated with fertilizer usage in urban hydroponic production. Further studies should focus on direct quantification and characterization of gaseous N-loss during this type of bioreaction.

Modeling Bibb Lettuce Nitrogen Uptake and Biomass Productivity in Vertical Hydroponic Agriculture

Global fertilizer production and mismanagement significantly contribute to many harmful environmental impacts, revealing the need for a greater understanding of crop growth and nutrient uptake, which can be used to optimize fertilizer management. This study experimentally adapts first-principles microbial modeling techniques to the hydroponic cultivation of Bibb lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under nitrogen-limited conditions. Monod and Michaelis–Menten’s approaches are applied to predict biomass productivity and nutrient uptake and to evaluate the feasibility of reclaimed wastewater as a nutrient source of nitrogen. Experimental and modeling results reveal significantly different kinetic saturation constants (Ks = 1.331 and Km = 17.887 mg L−1) and a corresponding cell yield strongly dependent on nutrient concentration, producing visually and compositionally distinct tissue between treatments receiving ≤26.2 and ≥41.7 mgN L−1. The resulting Monod model overestimates dry mass predictions during low nutrient conditions, and the collective results support the development of a dynamic Monod curve that is temporally dependent during the plants’ lifecycle. Despite this shortcoming, these results support the feasibility of reclaiming nitrogen from wastewater in hydroponic agriculture, expecting to produce lesser biomass lettuce exhibiting healthy tissue. Furthermore, this study provides a mathematical foundation for agricultural simulations and nutrient management.

A real-time on-site precision nutrient monitoring system for hydroponic cultivation utilizing LIBS

Indoor hydroponic farming is an advanced cultivation technique with diverse sustainability benefits, such as facilitating local produce, minimizing transportation costs and emissions, and enabling year-round crop cultivation. To optimize crop growth for enhanced yield, improved crop quality, and reduced environmental footprint, precise monitoring and replenishment of essential nutrients within hydroponic systems is crucial. Current methods employed in most commercial farms for online nutrient supply monitoring is limited to pH and conductivity measurements. These techniques can only offer an indication of the overall change in the complex nutrient mixture and lack the capability to precisely identify the specific nutrient or quantify the nutrient content. Most of the existing techniques for measuring individual nutrient levels are expensive and invasive, necessitating sample preparation, frequent recalibration, and skilled personnel for operation. In this context, we propose and demonstrate a real-time, on-site monitoring system for the precise analysis of hydroponic nutrient supply based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). We also discuss the system design considerations, parametric optimizations, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of key nutrient components such as potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), using the proposed approach. The detection range of the developed LIBS-based monitoring system can encompass the typical concentration range observed in hydroponic nutrient solutions used at agricultural farms. This technique offers rapid online monitoring of individual nutrient components, providing precise, real-time analysis and the potential to enable comprehensive automation capabilities for current and future hydroponic farms.Graphical abstract