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Hydroponics

horticulture
Also known as: aquaculture, nutriculture, soilless culture, tank farming(Show More)

Hydroponics, the cultivation of plants in nutrient-enriched water, with or without the mechanical support of an inert medium such as sand, gravel, or perlite. Plants have long been grown with their roots immersed in solutions of water and fertilizer for scientific studies of their nutrition. Early commercial hydroponics (from Greek hydro-, “water,” and ponos, “labor”) adopted this method of culture. Because of the difficulties in supporting the plants in a normal upright growing position and...