A review on soilless cultivation: The hope of urban agriculture

Urban Farm DB summary

This review covers soilless cultivation, in which plants are grown without soil as a rooting medium, including hydroponic, aeroponic, vertical farming, and other systems. It states that in greenhouses and tunnels, about 3.5% of the world's crops are produced using soilless, hydroponic methods. It notes that hydroponic farms can be built in deserts, the Arctic, and other difficult-to-farm places, and that the absence of soil means fewer insects and weeds. Crops grown in soilless systems include vegetables, fruits, flowers, and medicinal plants, using inorganic or organic growth media such as bark, coconut coir, coconut soil, fleece, marc, and peat. The review characterizes soilless culture as a relatively recently developed approach to agricultural development that is nonetheless difficult to put into practice.