AQUAPONICS

77 Pages·2017·11.41 MB·English

by  Baldassare Fronte

Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic:
comparison of three technologies
Incrocci Luca*, Bibbiani Carlo**,
Fronte Baldassare** e Pardossi Alberto*

* DAFE – Università di Pisa
** DSV - Università di Pisa
Pordenone fiera, 26-27 gennaio 2017
Contents
Soilless culture and hydroponics
Dr L. Incrocci
-Floating system; deep water culture
-Nutrient Film Tecnique;
-Aeroponic;

Aquaponic
Dr B. Fronte
-Advantages and drawbacks

Incrocci L., Bibbiani C., Fronte B., Pardossi A. - “Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic: comparison of three technologies ” – AquaFarm 2017
Soilless cultures
Hydroponics (hydros= water)
Floating system Nutrient Film
Aeroponic
Deep Water Culture Technique
Incrocci L., Bibbiani C., Fronte B., Pardossi A. - “Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic: comparison of three technologies ” – AquaFarm 2017
Soilless cultures
Substrate cultures
Gutter Bags o pots Ebb-and-flow
2
Incrocci L., Bibbiani C., Fronte B., Pardossi A. - “Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic: comparison of three technologies ” – AquaFarm 2017
Protected cultivation and % of soilless cultures in
Europe
~ 200,000 ha
(30.000 ha soilless)

9
0
-
8
0
0
2

T
A
T
S
O
R
U
E

:
e
c
r France: 9.2 (<20%)
u (x1000 ha)
o
S
Spain: 66.0 (>20%)
Holland: 10.2 (>90%)
Italy: 34.6 (<10%)= 2500 ha
Poland: 6.3 (>20 %)
Greece: 5.3 (<15%)
Hungary: 2.0 (<10%)
Soilless cultures
ADVANTAGES DRAWBACKS

• To avoid soil-borne diseases;
• Higher investment cost;

• Necessity of specialized
• Higher yield and extended
labour;
harvesting time;
• Exhausted substrate and

nutrient solution;
• Higher crop quality;

• Higher amount of
• Optimal for artificial crops,
exhausted plastic;
zero-pesticide, cultivation
• Possible root hypoxia and
without soil, vertical farming;
anoxia;

• Need of good water
• To reduce the water use;
quality.

• To control environment

pollution (only closed system).

Incrocci L., Bibbiani C., Fronte B., Pardossi A. - “Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic: comparison of three technologies ” – AquaFarm 2017
To extend the harvesting time:
grape in Sicily in middle May
Incrocci L., Bibbiani C., Fronte B., Pardossi A. - “Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic: comparison of three technologies ” – AquaFarm 2017
The harvesting is easier and
faster than soil
Incrocci L., Bibbiani C., Fronte B., Pardossi A. - “Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic: comparison of three technologies ” – AquaFarm 2017
Drawbacks: exhausted substrates and
higher use of plastic
Incrocci L., Bibbiani C., Fronte B., Pardossi A. - “Hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic: comparison of three technologies ” – AquaFarm 2017
Closed-loop vs Open system
NS input: Reuse on soil cultures
pH (5.5-6.0)
Closed-loop system!!
EC (1.6-3.0)
Release in the
environment
Drainage
Controllo periodico del
Open system vs Closed
Open system!!
dr(etonmataot o( 2w5i-t5h0 2%0 k):g /m2)
p• H W a(t5e.r0 -r7u.n0-)o ff= 1,682 m3/ha
• N = 266 kg/ha N
EC. (2.0-4.0)