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The expansion of Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics technology to address the issue of multiplying and disseminating virus-free planting materials for vegetatively propagated crops is challenged by the utilization of imported substrate, namely, KlasmannTS3. In this study, we evaluated the growth parameters and cutting production of cassava genotypes during three subsequent plantlet production cycles using three single substrates, namely, KlasmannTS3 (K), vermiculite (V), and local peat (P), and three blended substrates. The blended substrates were a combination of 25% K and 75% P (K.sub.25 P.sub.75 ), a combination of V and P at respective rates of 25% and 75% (V.sub.25 P.sub.75 ), and respective rates of 10% and 90% (V.sub.10 P.sub.90). All cuttings obtained in one plantlet production cycle were transplanted into the next. The multiplication rate of cutting from cycle 1 to 2 (R1) and cycle 2 to 3 (R2) was calculated as the ratios of the number of cuttings per the number of plantlets in each cycle. K and K.sub.25 P.sub.75 led to similar R1 and R2, except with the genotype IBA961089A, where K.sub.25 P.sub.75 led to a higher R1. Local peat and V solely showed similar cutting multiplication rates, and were lower than V.sub.25 P.sub.75 and V.sub.10 P.sub.90 . Substrates with a higher cutting production also led to a higher plantlet height, leaf, and internode number. V and its combinations with local peat led to the densest plantlet root system. The performance of the substrates contrasted among the genotypes, but IBA961089A mostly outperformed the two other genotypes. We concluded that up to 75% of K and, to a lesser extent 75% of V, can be substituted by P without compromising cutting production. V and P should be combined instead of being used separately.

This research paper emphasizes the growing importance of Allium Cepa (Onions)–a medicinal plant, as a safe and effective alternative to conventional medicinal therapies for both humans and livestock. The increasing concerns over the high costs and side effects of traditional treatments have shifted attention towards herbal medicine, known for its minimal side effects and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, cultivating Onions promotes public health and contributes to economic growth through responsible cultivation and use. The widespread use of machine learning in smart hydroponics is also explained in the manuscript. The study introduces the 'Smart Hydro Kit,' an innovative and compact device designed to monitor and automate the environmental conditions for the hydroponic cultivation of Onions, enhancing sustainability. The performance of onion shoots and bulbs cultivated through hydroponics is compared with soil-based methods using various qualitative and quantitative metrics. Results demonstrate that hydroponic cultivation significantly outperforms soil cultivation. The findings are further validated using the ‘AquaCrop’ simulation tool.

Rapid development of hydroponic farming which is soilless cultivation method of growing plant using mineral nutrient solution dissolved in water produces large amount of wastewater rich in nutrients and organic matters thus imposes great harms to human and environment, if the waste nutrient solution is not correctly treated. The objective of this review is to present information concerning hydroponic systems, including: the different classes and methods of operation; advantages and drawbacks and the recent approaches and development in hydroponic wastewater treatments. Particular emphasis has been placed on removal of root exudates from reused waste nutrient solution in closed system. The reviewed technologies for nutrient removal or recovery include denitrification, microalgae cultivation, constructed wetlands and activated carbon methods. The alternatives byproducts i.e. biogas as agriculture fertilizer for hydroponic cultivation to attain sustainable agriculture was further highlighted. In addition, current challenges and future prospects in this field are carried out. About 118 published studies are reviewed in this paper. It is evident from the literature survey articles that activated carbon is the most frequently studied for the nutrient recovery of hydroponic wastewater.

Aquaponics, a combination of fish farming and soilless plant farming, is growing in popularity and gaining attention as an important and potentially more sustainable method of food production. The aim of this study was to document and analyze the production methods, experiences, motivations, and demographics of aquaponics practitioners in the United States (US) and internationally. The survey was distributed online using a chain sampling method that relied on referrals from initial respondents, with 809 respondents meeting the inclusion criteria. The majority of respondents were from the US (80%), male (78%), and had at least a high school degree (91%). The mean age of respondents was 47±13 years old. Most respondents (52%) had three years or less of aquaponics experience. Respondents typically raised tilapia or ornamental fish and a variety of leafy green vegetables, herbs, and fruiting crops. Respondents were most often motivated to become involved in aquaponics to grow their own food, for environmental sustainability reasons, and for personal health reasons. Many respondents employed more than one method to raise crops, and used alternative or environmentally sustainable sources of energy, water, and fish feed. In general, our findings suggest that aquaponics is a dynamic and rapidly growing field with participants who are actively experimenting with and adopting new technologies. Additional research and outreach is needed to evaluate and communicate best practices within the field. This survey is the first large-scale effort to track aquaponics in the US and provides information that can better inform policy, research, and education efforts regarding aquaponics as it matures and possibly evolves into a mainstream form of agriculture.

Background Plants that accumulate metal and metalloid trace elements to extraordinarily high concentrations in their living biomass have inspired much research worldwide during the last decades. Hyperaccumulators have been recorded and experimentally confirmed for elements such as nickel, zinc, cadmium, manganese, arsenic and selenium. However, to date, hyperaccumulation of lead, copper, cobalt, chromium and thallium remain largely unconfirmed. Recent uses of the term in relation to rare-earth elements require critical evaluation. Scope Since the mid-1970s the term 'hyperaccumulator' has been used millions of times by thousands of people, with varying degrees of precision, aptness and understanding that have not always corresponded with the views of the originators of the terminology and of the present authors. There is therefore a need to clarify the circumstances in which the term 'hyperaccumulator' is appropriate and to set out the conditions that should be met when the terms are used. We outline here the main considerations for establishing metal or metalloid hyperaccumulation status of plants, (re) defme some of the terminology and note potential pitfalls. Conclusions Unambiguous communication will require the international scientific community to adopt standard terminology and methods for confirming the reliability of analytical data in relation to metal and metalloid hyperaccumulators.

Source-to-sink transport of sucrose is one of the major determinants of plant growth. Whole-plant carbohydrates’ partitioning requires the specific activity of membrane sugar transporters. In Arabidopsis thaliana plants, two families of transporters are involved in sucrose transport: AtSUCs and AtSWEETs. This study is focused on the comparison of sucrose transporter gene expression, soluble sugar and starch levels and long distance sucrose transport, in leaves and sink organs (mainly roots) in different physiological conditions (along the plant life cycle, during a diel cycle, and during an osmotic stress) in plants grown hydroponically. In leaves, the AtSUC2, AtSWEET11, and 12 genes known to be involved in phloem loading were highly expressed when sucrose export was high and reduced during osmotic stress. In roots, AtSUC1 was highly expressed and its expression profile in the different conditions tested suggests that it may play a role in sucrose unloading in roots and in root growth. The SWEET transporter genes AtSWEET12, 13, and 15 were found expressed in all organs at all stages studied, while differential expression was noticed for AtSWEET14 in roots, stems, and siliques and AtSWEET9, 10 expressions were only detected in stems and siliques. A role for these transporters in carbohydrate partitioning in different source–sink status is proposed, with a specific attention on carbon demand in roots. During development, despite trophic competition with others sinks, roots remained a significant sink, but during osmotic stress, the amount of translocated [U-¹⁴C]-sucrose decreased for rosettes and roots. Altogether, these results suggest that source–sink relationship may be linked with the regulation of sucrose transporter gene expression.

Hydroponic root mats (HRMs) are ecotechnological wastewater treatment systems where aquatic vegetation forms buoyant filters by their dense interwoven roots and rhizomes, sometimes supported by rafts or other floating materials. A preferential hydraulic flow is created in the water zone between the plant root mat and the bottom of the treatment system. When the mat touches the bottom of the water body, such systems can also function as HRM filter; i.e. the hydraulic flow passes directly through the root zone. HRMs have been used for the treatment of various types of polluted water, including domestic wastewater; agricultural effluents; and polluted river, lake, stormwater and groundwater and even acid mine drainage. This article provides an overview on the concept of applying floating HRM and non-floating HRM filters for wastewater treatment. Exemplary performance data are presented, and the advantages and disadvantages of this technology are discussed in comparison to those of ponds, free-floating plant and soil-based constructed wetlands. Finally, suggestions are provided on the preferred scope of application of HRMs.

This study was conducted to determine the heterogeneity of the quantitative and qualitative properties of fodder growth in cultivated hydroponic wheat fodder (HWF) in the growth tray area and to evaluate the impact on the environment. HWF was grown using nutrient film technique. Yield productivity (YP) of HWF in the growth tray area was divided into four characteristic zones (A, B, C, and D). The most fertile zone A accounted for only 22.3 ± 4.2% of the entire growth tray area, while zone B accounted for 44.7 ± 4.0%. Zones C and D, which accounted for 28.0 ± 1.3% and 5.0 ± 0.3% area, respectively, pose various problems for forage production, i.e., they negatively impact the quantity and quality of HWF, as well as the environment. If all areas in the growth tray support the highest fodder YP (zones A and B), then one kg of dry wheat grains will yield about 6–7 kg of HWF (consisting of 10.7–12.4% dry matter, 17.3–17.5% crude protein, 1.8–2.3% starch, 13.1–14.4% crude fiber, and 4.5–4.6% ether extract). Results of life cycle assessment show that HWF with YPs of 3–5 kg from one kg of dry grains (zones C and D) has the most adverse impact on the environment (150 and 220 kg CO 2eq  t −1 ). Under optimum conditions (zone A), CO 2eq varied from 94 to 115 kg CO 2eq  t −1 of feed. Environmentally, HWF production had the most impact on marine aquatic ecotoxicity, abiotic depletion, global warming potential, and freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity.

Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.), a widely cultivated leafy green, is valued for its rich content of bioactive compounds, including folates, vitamins, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, and antioxidants. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of amino acid supplementation on the growth and nutrient content of hydroponically grown lettuce. A greenhouse experiment using a completely randomized design (CRD) was conducted, with three replications and three plants per replication. There were 4 treatments (T 0 (Control), T 1 (Methionine 20 mg/L), T 2 (Tryptophan 220 mg/L, T 3 (Glycine 200 mg/L) of this experiment Growth parameters, including biomass, leaf length, leaf width, and leaf area, were measured four weeks after transplantation. L-methionine supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in plant growth, with a 23.60% increase in biomass and a 31.41% increase in leaf area. Conversely, L-tryptophan treatment led to substantial reductions in growth, including a 98.78% decrease in biomass. Nutrient analysis revealed that amino acid treatments, especially methionine, enhanced the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content in leaf tissues. These results suggest that L-methionine has a positive effect on both growth and nutrient uptake in hydroponic lettuce, while L-tryptophan and L-glycine negatively affect plant development. The differential responses to amino acid treatments may be attributed to their distinct roles in plant metabolism, with methionine enhancing sulfur-containing compounds and proteins essential for growth, while tryptophan and glycine could disrupt metabolic pathways. Future research should explore the mechanisms underlying these effects and evaluate the optimal amino acid concentrations for maximizing hydroponic lettuce production and nutrient density.