Although hydroponics has been applied to cultivate lettuce, herbs, and certain vegetables, cereals were utilized in this investigation due to the fact that they are not conventionally cultivated using this technique, with the exception of their utilization as fodder.
Researchers have recently invented an electrically conductive “soil” known as eSoil, which they claim stimulated the roots of barley seedlings for 15 days, resulting in a 50% increase in growth within that time period. The findings of a study conducted by researchers affiliated with Linkoping University in Sweden were published in the journal PNAS.
Hydroponics is a soilless cultivation technique that, according to the study, employs an electrically stimulated root system via a novel cultivation substrate. In essence, hydroponic cultivation entails the omission of soil from the growing process, requiring solely water, nutrients, and a substrate to which the roots can adhere.
A closed system that permits water recirculation, hydroponic cultivation ensures that every seedling receives precisely the nutrients it requires. Traditional cultivation is incapable of preserving all nutrients within the system; thus, this technique necessitates a negligible amount of water.
In conjunction with the global population growth is the phenomenon of climate change. Therefore, it is evident that the current agricultural methods are insufficient to meet the global food demands, according to a statement by Eleni Stavrinidou, an associate professor at Linkoping University.
“But with hydroponics we can grow food also in urban environments in very controlled settings,” she added.
The use of barley
Although hydroponics has been applied to cultivate lettuce, herbs, and certain vegetables, cereals were utilized in this investigation due to the fact that they are not conventionally cultivated using this technique, with the exception of their utilization as fodder.
The study revealed that barley seedlings grown in the conductive “soil” grew up to 50 per cent more in 15 days.
Therefore, the researchers managed to prove that not only barley seedlings can be cultivated using hydroponics but also that they have a better growth rate due to electrical stimulation.
The eSoil is composed of cellulose, as opposed to the typical use of mineral wool which is not only non-biodegradable but also produced with a very energy-intensive process. Notably, cellulose is the most prevalent biopolymer.
The study also noted that while previous research has used high voltage to stimulate the roots, researchers’ eSoil has very low energy consumption and no high voltage hazard.
Stavrinidou believes that the new study paves the way for new research areas to develop further hydroponic cultivation.