Abstracts

Hydroponics is an innovative plant production system in which crops are cultivated in a nutrient, often with the support of inert substrates such as expanded clay, perlite, coconut fiber or rockwool. This method is typically implemented in controlled environments, including greenhouses or high tunnels, where key growth parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, nutrient concentration, temperature, light intensity, oxygen availability and air circulation) can be precisely regulated. Although hydroponic systems require higher initial investments, these costs are gradually offset through increased productivity and more efficient resource use. As a green innovation, hydroponics reduces dependence on climatic variability, limits exposure to pests and pathogens and supports year-round production with reduced water consumption and environmental impact. As part of this research, a case study was conducted to evaluate hydroponic cultivation under simplified, home- scale conditions. The goal was to identify the most critical control points in the system, including the sensitivity of pH and electrical conductivity adjustments, nutrient balance, temperature fluctuations and light availability. Several combinations of environmental and nutrient conditions were tested to determine which setups yield the most stable plant growth and highest biomass production. The results highlight the importance of continuous monitoring, particularly during early developmental stages, and demonstrate that even small deviations in nutrient concentration or environmental parameters can significantly affect plant performance. Findings from the case study provide practical insights into the limitations, risks and optimal management strategies for small- scale hydroponic systems, contributing to a broader understanding of hydroponics as a sustainable and accessible agricultural approach.

Keywords

Climate-smart agriculture, Hydroponics, Nutrient solution management, Sustainable production

Acknowledgment

This research is part of the project funded by the Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research, titled Regenerative agriculture within sustainable land management: assessment and strategic guidelines development (2025-2028), number 003874193 2025 09418 003 000 000 001 04 004 .

References

1. 1. Abeer, A., Alnawasrah, R., Almadani, B., Aliyu, F., Ghaleb, M. (2025). Contemporary smart hydroponics systems: Taxonomy, enabling technologies, and challenges, Internet of Things, Volume 34, 101794, ISSN 2542-6605 doi: 10.1016/j.iot.2025.101794 Cherif, D., Ayed, R., Skouri, S., Bouadila, S., Lazaar, M., Guizani, A.A. (2023). Enhancing crop yield in hydroponic greenhouses: Integrating latent heat storage and forced ventilation systems for improved thermal stratification, Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 45, 102163, ISSN 2451-9049, doi: 10.1016/j.tsep.2023.102163 Ebel, R. (2020). Chinampas: An Urban Farming Model of the Aztecs and a Potential Solution for Modern Megalopolis. Hort Technology, 30(1), 13-19. doi: 10.21273/HORTTECH04310-19 Ghimire, A., Dahal, M., Karki, R. (2023). Hydroponics: An innovative approach to urban agriculture. Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 25, 89-98.
2. 2. Handayani, E., Asnawati, A., Suryana, E. (2022). Comparative Analysis of Certainty Factor Methods and Dempster Shafer Methods in Pest Management in Hydroponic Vegetables (Case Study: Celebes Hydroponics Bengkulu). Jurnal Komputer, Informasi dan Teknologi, 2(1), 143-150.
3. 3. Hassine, I.B., Mezghani, D., Belkadi, A., Sghaier, N., Mami, A. (2024). Design and optimization of energy consumption in hydroponic greenhouses. Brazilian Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, 28 (6), 281097. ISSN 1807-1929. doi: 10.1590/1807- 1929/agriambi.v25n1p3-9 Jones, Jr,J.B. (2014). Complete guide for growing plants hydroponically. Boca Raton, Florida, USA: CRC Press; p. 223. doi: 10.1201/b16482 Khan, F.A. (2018). A review on hydroponic greenhouse cultivation for sustainable agriculture Int J of Agr Env F Sci. 2:59. doi: 10.31015/jaefs.18010 Kumar, S., Singh, M., Yadav, K.K., Singh, P.K. (2021). Opportunities and constraints in hydroponic crop production systems: A review. Environment Conservation Journal, 22(3), 401-408.
4. 4. Monisha, K., Kalai Selvi, H., Sivanandhini, P., Sona Nachammai, A., Anuradha, C.T., Rama Devi, S., Hikku, G.S. (2023). Hydroponics agriculture as a modern agriculture technique. Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, 116(1).
5. 5. Pandey, R., Jain, V., Singh, K. P. (2009). Hydroponics Agriculture: Its status, scope and limitations. Division of Plant Physiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 20.
6. 6. Rajendran, S., Tenzing, D., Himanshu, A., Pai, L., Abhishek, S., Gaurav, R. (2024). Hydroponics: Exploring innovative sustainable technologies and applications across crop production, with Emphasis on potato mini-tuber cultivation, Heliyon,10 (5), e26823, ISSN 2405-8440, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26823 Rajaseger, G., Chan, K.L., Yee, T.K., Ramasamy, S., Khin, M.C., Amaladoss, A., Kadamb, H.P. (2023). Hydroponics: current trends in sustainable crop production. Bioinformation, 19(9), 925- 938. doi: 10.6026/97320630019925. PMID: 37928497; PMCID: PMC10625363 Rodríguez-Delfín, A., Gruda, N., Eigenbrod, C., Orsini, F., Gianquinto, G. (2017). Soil Based and Simplified Hydroponics Rooftop Gardens. In: Orsini, F., Dubbeling, M., de Zeeuw, H., Gianquinto, G. (Eds.) Rooftop Urban Agriculture.
7. 7. Urban Agriculture. Springer, Cham. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-57720-3_5 Santosh, D.T., Gaikwad, D. (2023). Advances in Hydroponic Systems: Types and Management In: Advances in Agricultural Technology edited by Sagar Maitra, Dinkar J. Gaikwad and Santosh DT, Published by Griffon, Canada, 16-28. ISBN: 978 - 17 - 77795 - 91 - 7.
8. 8. Singh, H., Poudel, M.R., Dunn, B.L., Fontanier, C., Kakani, G. (2020). Effect of Greenhouse CO2 Supplementation on Yield and Mineral Element Concentrations of Leafy Greens Grown Using Nutrient Film Technique. Agronomy, 10(3), 323. doi: 10.3390/agronomy10030323 Taylor, R., Carandang, J.S., Alexander, C., Calleja, J.S. (2012). Making global cities sustainable: Urban rooftop hydroponics for diversified agriculture in emerging economies. OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, 5(7), 11-28.
9. 9. Torabi, M., Mokhtarzadeh, A., Mahlooji, M. (2012).
10. 10. Plant Improvement Institute (SPII) IranThe Role of Hydroponics Technique as a Standard Methodology in Various Aspects of Plant Biology Research. 113-134. In book: Hydroponics – a standard methodology for plant biological research. Edition: 1, Chapter: 6, Publisher: InTech, Rijeka, Croatia doi: 10.5772/36612 Velazquez-Gonzalez, R.S., Garcia-Garcia, A.L., Ventura-Zapata, E., Barceinas-Sanchez, J.D.O., Sosa-Savedra, J.C. (2022). A Review on Hydroponics and the Technologies Associated for Medium- and Small-Scale Operations. Agriculture, 12(5), 646. doi: 10.3390/agriculture12050646 Walters, K.J., Behe, B.K., Currey, C.J., Lopez, R.G. (2020). Historical, Current, and Future Perspectives for Controlled Environment Hydroponic Food Crop Production in the United States. HortScience, 55(6), 758-767. doi: 10.21273/HORTSCI14901-20 Wootton-Beard, P. (2019). Growing without soil: an overview of hydroponics.
11. 11. Yee, S.G., Yan, C.H., Ying, L.L., Khin, W.L., Wun-She, Y., Yee, K.T. (2023). A meta-analysis: Food production and vegetable crop yields of hydroponics, Scientia Horticulturae, 321, 112339, ISSN 0304-4238 doi: 10.1016/j.scienta.2023.112339 https://hidroponika.co.rs/proizvod/led-grow-panel-30x30-50w-uv-ir/