What is hydroponics?

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, where nutrient-rich water is used to deliver essential nutrients directly to the plant roots. This technique allows for more control over growing conditions and can result in faster plant growth and higher yields compared to traditional soil-based methods. In hydroponics, various systems and technologies can be employed, including nutrient film technique, deep water culture, and aeroponics, among others. By eliminating soil, hydroponics can reduce the risk of pests and diseases commonly found in the soil, making it a more efficient way to cultivate crops.

Other options are focused on different processes: composting involves the breakdown of organic materials to create nutrient-rich compost, growing in soil utilizes traditional methods that do not harness the advantages of hydroponics, and preserving genetic material pertains to seed saving or tissue culture techniques, which are unrelated to the process of growing plants without soil.