By AYŞENUR BOZKURT İSTANBUL
Since the water is provided to the plants in a controlled environment, it can be utilized efficiently and waste can be avoided. Irrigation is done through an automatic process.
The concept of "soil-less agriculture" may be new for many of us, but it is important for global agriculture -- specifically for providing food for billions of people at a time when global warming and drought have reduced agricultural efficiency. With global warming, the availability of water has decreased, resulting in increasing levels of famine. Soil-less agriculture may be the solution, or at least a part of the solution, in a number of climates.
How can the agriculture industry develop without soil? Speaking with Today's Business, Professor Sermin Akıncı, a lecturer at the agriculture faculty of Sütçü İmam University in Kahramanmaraş, defines it as "a kind of agricultural production in which plants are fed through a number of materials, such as shavings, bark, compost, sand, pebbles and processed clay in organic and inorganic environments."
There are many reasons why soil-less agriculture is preferred by many farmers. Loss of soil, the problem of weeds and the excessive need for fertilizer and water can be listed as the leading reasons for switching to soil-less crops. "Since the world's rapid population growth requires meeting increasing food needs, there is a risk that soil may not be efficient enough," Akıncı notes. "This system is used in some countries that do not have normal, adequate soil for agriculture, such as Arab countries and Israel, which have many desert areas, and Japan, where the territory is inclined and stony," she adds. "Crop areas are left fallow when the soil is exhausted, but this is not a solution for top efficiency and it is neither economical nor practical." She argues that soil-less agriculture is a cultivation method that can be applied in every type of region that is not appropriate for cultivation."
In soil where the same crops are always planted, diseases and weeds may become chronic problems. The use of insecticides and herbicides to cope with such problems is harmful for consumers' health and the environment and it also presents problem for exporting crops.
Akıncı contends that with soil-less agriculture it is possible to overcome these chronic issues. "It is possible to sterilize plant food mixture and cultivation area to feed the plants, and root diseases can be prevented," she explains, adding: "Since the cultivation process is controlled carefully, the risk of a crop being attacked by harmful insects can be minimized. Soil-less agriculture provides a way to eliminate weeds and it also minimizes the need for hormones. It is a solution that does not give rise to air pollution and does not harm human health."
Many proponents of soil-less farming point out that the use of fertilizer required by normal cultivation methods causes environmental pollution, but that with soil-less agriculture it is possible that to provide sufficient nourishment without fertilizer. The limited use of fertilizer helps the process. Moreover, temperature and oxygen levels can be controlled, which also helps the nourishment process.
Because of global warming, the world's water resources are in danger. Traditional agricultural methods relying on soil waste water because the soil absorbs water after the plants use what they need and the rest goes evaporates into the air. Traditional methods use four to five times the water required in soil-less farming, industry advocates argue. Since the water is provided to the plants in a controlled environment, it can be utilized efficiently and waste can be avoided. Irrigation is done through an automatic process. The system works very well and the crops grown with this type of farming yield more fruit.
However, there are some challenges to soil-less farming. First and foremost, it requires technological investment and modern equipment. But because the revenue from these crops will be maximized, the system can pay for itself in just a few years.
Since different food mixtures are needed to cultivate different plants, farmers must be familiar with the necessary elements for replacing soil. If the mixture is made with incorrect ratios, the crops may be lost at harvest time.
In the integrated soil-less agriculture system, which reuses water over and over, there is some risk of in the early stages of crop development. If the system malfunctions, environmental pollution may result.
Akıncı says: "The sector is growing fast and becoming institutionalized, especially in cities such as İzmir, Antalya and Mersin. And more are following the suit, including Manisa, Muğla, Adana, Aydın, Kütahya, Denizli, Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa."
The crop most commonly cultivated through the soil-less system is tomato, two to three times as efficient as traditional methods, particularly in winter. But pepper, aubergine, cucumber and melon can also be cultivated in this way. Of course, the method is not restricted to edible crops, and flowers such as roses, tulips and orchids can be grown.
Soil-less agriculture is expanding throughout the world, particularly in the US, Japan, Holland, England, Canada, Germany, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Bahamas, Kuwait, Brazil, Poland, Singapore, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
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