Increasing Sustainability of Growing Media Constituents and Stand-Alone Substrates in Soilless Culture Systems

Abstract

Decreasing arable land, rising urbanization, water scarcity, and climate change exert pressure on agricultural producers. Moving from soil to soilless culture systems can improve water use efficiency, especially in closed-loop systems with a recirculating water/nutrient solution that recaptures the drain water for reuse. However, the question of alternative materials to peat and rockwool, as horticultural substrates, has become increasingly important, due to the despoiling of ecologically important peat bog areas and a pervasive waste problem. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive critical review of current developments in soilless culture, growing media, and future options of using different materials other than peat and rockwool. Apart from growing media properties and their performance from the point of view of plant production, economic and environmental factors are also important. Climate change, CO 2 emissions, and other ecological issues will determine and drive the development of soilless culture systems and the choice of growing media in the near future. Bioresources, e.g., treated and untreated waste, as well as renewable raw materials, have great potential to be used as growing media constituents and stand-alone substrates. A waste management strategy aimed at reducing, reusing, and recycling should be further and stronger applied in soilless culture systems. We concluded that the growing media of the future must be available, affordable, and sustainable and meet both quality and environmental requirements from growers and society, respectively.

Biochar or Biochar-Compost Amendment to a Peat-Based Substrate Improves Growth of Syngonium podophyllum

“…Although the recommended EC range for growing media is between 1.5 and 2.0 dS m −1 [51], lower EC may not be a great concern as substrates are generally fertilized after plants are transplanted. The CEC influences plant nutrient availability [14]. BioComp substrate had significantly higher CEC than both BC and control substrates ( Table 1).…”

“…One promising alternative to peat is biochar (BC) [5,13,14]. It is a charcoal-like solid with a high content in recalcitrant carbon created during pyrolysis of organic feedstock, such as crop residues, manure, and wood in an oxygen-limited environment at a temperature ranging from 300 to 900 • C [15].…”

Effect of UV Radiation and Salt Stress on the Accumulation of Economically Relevant Secondary Metabolites in Bell Pepper Plants

“…Abiotic stressors such as drought and salt stress are easily applicable in commercial greenhouse production in soilless systems, which are the predominant systems in many parts of the world, including Europe [14].…”

Interactive Effects of the CO2 Enrichment and Nitrogen Supply on the Biomass Accumulation, Gas Exchange Properties, and Mineral Elements Concentrations in Cucumber Plants at Different Growth Stages

“…Moreover, the available information about the optimum N supply under different elevated [CO 2 ] is extremely limited. A better understanding of the concentration changes of mineral elements in cucumber plant responding to elevated [CO 2 ] and N supplies is necessary for optimizing [CO 2 ] and N fertilization in order to obtain high quality greenhouse products with higher C and N use efficiency [34,35] and to deal with future climate change scenarios with less CO 2 emission and fertilizer input [36,37].…”