Microbial ecosystem constructed in water for successful organic hydroponics

Abstract

Conventional hydroponics systems generally use only chemical fertilisers, not organic ones, since there are no microbial ecosystems present in such systems to mineralise organic compounds to inorganic nutrients. Addition of organic compounds to the hydroponic solution generally has phytotoxic effects and causes poor plant growth. We developed a novel hydroponic culture method using organic fertiliser. A microbial ecosystem was constructed in hydroponic solution by regulating the amounts of organic fertiliser and soil, with moderate aeration. The microbial ecosystem mineralised organic nitrogen to nitrate-nitrogen via ammonification and nitrification. A 97.6% efficiency of nitrate-nitrogen generation from the organic nitrogen in the organic fertiliser was achieved. The culture solution containing the microbial ecosystem was usable as a hydroponic solution. Vegetable plants grew well in our organic hydroponics system under continuous addition of organic fertiliser, and the yield and quality approximated those of vegetables grown by conventional hydroponics.