HydroponicsOlivia J. Warner

The University of Texas at San Antonio Professor Kaur | WRC 1013-001

ThesisHydroponic techniques are relevant today in

the field of science, not only for growing plants, but also as a solution to overcome challenges resulting from human consumption as well as environmental degradation.

Fig. 1. Hydroponics ecosystem. N.d. LED Grow Light Hydro Blog. N.p., 17 June 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.

HistoryHydroponics is the

growing of plants without soil.

Ancient civilizations have applied the principles of hydroponics from the floating Aztec gardens to the hanging gardens of Babylon, as well as hieroglyphic evidence of hydroponic plant cultivation in ancient Egypt.

Fig. 2. Hanging gardens of Babylon. N.d. Purple "O" Purple. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2011

Jean-Baptiste van Helmont It was commonly believed that plants

acquire their essential nutrients from soil until the 1600s, when the scientist Jean-Baptiste van Helmont disproved this theory.

Van Helmont performed an experiment in which a sapling was planted in a large container of soil and after five years had passed the plant had grown exponentially and the soil remained at nearly the same weight.

If the tree had been nourished by the soil, then the soil would have been depleted.

This experiment proved that the tree acquired its nutrients elsewhere and spurred the discovery of photosynthesis and the promotion of hydroponics

Fig. 3. Van Helmont's plant experiment. N.d. Biological Science. Pearson Prentice Hall, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.

Millions of Americans are afflicted with osteoporosis, placing them at greater risk for broken bones.

Although some risk factors, including gender, age and body size, cannot be changed, a diet low in calcium increases the risk of bone loss.

Due to the prevalence of osteoporosis, a bone disease that can be caused by calcium deficiency, researchers have created a carrot that is genetically modified to have about twice as much calcium as a regular carrot (Morris et al. 1431).

Carrots were chosen for this study, because they are among the most frequently consumed produce, and an experiment was performed to determine whether or not these modified carrots have a correspondingly high amount of bioavailable calcium to be absorbed by the body.

Increasing Calcium in Carrots

Carrot ExperimentThe carrots in this experiment

were modified to contain the calcium isotopes hydroponically, which enabled efficient absorption of the isotopes (Morris et al. 1434).

In this experiment, calcium absorption was increased through the modification of the plant calcium transporter in both mice and humans, which led to increased nutrition as well as a firmer, hardier product that is less susceptible to damage during transport and stays fresh longer (Morris et al. 1433).

Fig. 4. Schematic diagram of sCAX1-expressing carrots showing enhanced calcium bioavailability in mice and humans. N.d. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. N.p., 2008. Web. 21 Nov. 2011.

Carrot Experiment – Why Hydroponics?

If this method had been used with carrot plants growing in soil, a majority of the calcium isotopes would have been absorbed by the soil.

Another method, injecting the isotopes into the plant foliage, would not spread the isotopes evenly throughout the plant.

Fig. 5. Carrots. N.d. Benefits of Us. N.p., 30 Oct. 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2011.

Space Farming & Sweet PotatoesThe ability for astronauts to perform long-duration

space missions is heavily dependent on space farming technology, not only for food supply, but also for water purification and oxygen generation (Kitaya at al. 730).

Hydroponic farming would be an ideal method of farming in space, due to its efficient water and nutrient usage. However, an ideal crop, the sweet potato, does not produce tubers in water.

The sweet potato is an excellent choice for a space farm crop, because aside from being highly nutritious, it is also a plant that grows rapidly with little fertilizer and is almost entirely edible.

Growing Sweet PotatoesHydroponically

A recent experiment was performed to discover a new way to grow sweet potatoes hydroponically for space farming.

Growing sweet potato plants on an angled rockwool slab allowed the plants to grow above the slab while producing tubers underneath it but above the hydroponic solution.

The roots of the potato plant were able to grow down the rockwool slab to the hydroponic solution for nourishment.

Fig. 6. Hydroponic system for growing sweet potatoes. N.d. Science Direct. COSPAR, 2008. Web. 21 Nov. 2011.

Wastewater Treatment In Sweden, a system for treating urban wastewater using hydroponics

and microbiological processes was constructed and analyzed.The wastewater treatment consisted of a series of tanks, including three

hydroponic tanks.The plant roots in the hydroponic tanks effectively absorbed organic

matter and nitrogen from the water and, overall, the hydroponic and microbiological process of treating wastewater was as effective as conventional water treatment methods (Ottoson, Norström, and Dalhammar 446). Fig. 7. Hydroponics

wastewater treatment system including three hydroponic tanks. N.d. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO Industries, June 2005. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.

Wastewater TreatmentThis method of water treatment would be

most feasible in a warm climate, which would reduce the cost of maintaining greenhouse conditions.

If techniques for wastewater treatment through hydroponics are improved, it could be possible to use the wastewater as a nutrient solution to grow crops and wastewater treatment facilities could eventually become pleasant park-like settings.

Commercial Farming Commercial farmers can grow their crops hydroponically. Hydroponic farms require less maintenance than a

traditional farm, having automatic watering and nutrient distribution.

Hydroponic gardening is also more environmentally friendly, because it uses a minimal amount of water and chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers.

There are also economical benefits to hydroponic farming, including increased crop yield due to optimal conditions and an extended crop season due to temperature regulation.

Hydroponic farms can produce over 650,000 pounds of tomatoes per acre, compared with tomatoes grown in fields at a rate of 40,000 to 60,000 pounds per acre (Mugandhan et al. 294).

Israel and Holland are among the top hydroponic farmers worldwide, having 30,000 and 10,000 acres devoted to hydroponics, respectively, but Mexico has the fastest growing area for commercial hydroponic farming (Mugandhan et al. 295).

Fig. 8. Mature Greenhouse Tomato plants in Dutch Buckets. N.d. Crop King Incorporated. N.p., 11 July 2008. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.

Hydroponics & Food ShortagesThe development of hydroponic technologies may

combat food scarcity due to climate change, desertification and an ever-increasing population, especially in the developing world.

According to Rosamond Naylor, who is director of food security and the environment at Stanford University, “To develop new crops to withstand higher temperatures could take decades… People could always turn somewhere else to find food. But in the future there’s not going to be any place to turn unless we rethink our food supplies (qtd. in Sample 15).”

Hydroponics & Food ShortagesFood shortages are already

of great concern to governments in the developing world where people are most vulnerable to changes in the environment.

Governments facing food shortages must rethink the way that they produce food in order to meet the demands of their citizens in a timely fashion.

Fig. 9. Desertification. N.d. The Map Scrolls. N.p., 25 Mar. 2009. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.

Vertical FarmsA recent development in hydroponic commercial farming involves

growing hydroponic plants vertically.These vertical farms reduce the amount of land required for farming

and can be virtually anywhere, as they do not require soil.A vertical farm could be in a densely populated urban area, where a

majority of food is needed, cutting down on transportation costs as well as pollution.

A farm of this type would provide a large amount of local, economical produce to city dwellers.

Fig. 10. 30-story vertical farm. N.d. DOGO News. N.p., 16 July 2008. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.

ConclusionAlthough hydroponics is an ancient technique

of plant growing, it has numerous applications to modern life and will likely continue to have a significant impact on life on Earth far into the future.

Fig. 11. Hydroponic farming. N.d. How to "Auaponics" Store. N.p., 25 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.

Works CitedKitaya, Y., et al. “Growth of Sweetpotato Cultured in the Newly Designed Hydroponic

System for Space Farming.” Advances in Space Research 41.5: 730-735. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Nov. 2011.

Morris, Jay, et al. “Nutritional Impact of Elevated Calcium Transport Activity inCarrots.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105.5: 1431-1435. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Nov. 2011.

Mugandhan, R. Murali, et al. “’Hydroponics’- a Novel Alternative for GeoponicCultivation of Medicinal Plants and Food Crops.” International Journal of Pharma & Bio Sciences 2.2: 286-289. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Nov. 2011.

Ottoson, J., A. Norstrom, and G. Dalhammar. “Removal of Micro-Organisms in a SmallScale Hydroponics Wastewater Treatment System.” Letters in Applied Microbiology 40.6: 443-447. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Nov. 2011.

Sample, Ian. “Billions Face Food Shortages, Study Warns: Climate Change May RuinFarming in Tropics by 2100 Record Temperatures to Become Normal in Europe.” Guardian [London] 9 Jan. 2009: 15. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 2 Nov. 2011.