SUBSTRATES FOR HYDROPONIC CULTIVATION
Substrate cultivation is one of the most popular solutions for soilless crops. Ageon, leader in Italy in the marketing of substrates for professional use, offers its customers a wide range of products to choose from in order to meet any need.
ADVANTAGES HYDROPONIC CULTIVATION
Main advantages of soilless cultivation in a protected environment:
– make the most of the surface
– increase production
– reduce working times
– save water, fertilizers and machinery
– save and make labor efficient
– work and obtain results in a precise way
– use all available resources efficiently.
– Better control of phytosanitary conditions and possibility of monosuccession (Cultivation of the same species on the same plot for two or more years.)
– Better control of mineral nutrition.
– Recovery of marginal areas.
– Increase in yields and better quality of products.
– Reduction of dead times due to geodisinfestant treatments.
Soilless hydroponic cultivation is therefore a valid alternative to soil and traditional cultivation systems, as the substrates can provide a solid anchorage to the plant, make water, air / oxygen available and ultimately guarantee the supply of necessary nutrients. to the crop.
SUBSTRATES FOR HYDROPONICS – TYPES
The substrates for soilless cultivation can be of origin:
– organic (coconut-based substrates)
– inorganic (Grodan rock wool substrates, perlite substrates)
– mixed (coco perlite substrates)
There are numerous types of substrates according to the constituent materials and their physical and chemical characteristics; precisely for this reason it is possible to choose from a wide range according to the needs and intended use of it, thus being able to obtain the maximum benefit from the use of cultivation substrates.
They can consist of loose or compacted elements. Their composition is characterized by more or less inert materials and by homogeneous elements or mixtures of constituents that are heterogeneous in type, size and shape.
SUBSTRATES FOR HYDROPONICS – USE
The use of cultivation substrates can be multiple:
– they can be placed directly on special supports after being properly placed in cultivation bags (coconut plates, Grodan plates)
– they can be used in bulk to fill pots to always be used for soilless cultivation.
The substrates also represent a valid support for plants destined for hydroponic cultivation systems such as: deep flow, floating, NFT, MGS, as well as being totally compatible with the most advanced vertical farming systems.