The world's population is continuously increasing. And we are also seeing the consequences of climate change. It is clear that we will not be able to meet the world's food demands using existing agricultural methods alone. It is necessary to increase agricultural production through new methods. Researchers at Sweden's Linköping University have developed 'electronic soil', which increases crop production. Researchers have developed an electrical conductor "soil" for soil-less farming. to grow crops without soilThe method is known as hydroponics. With hydroponics, food can be grown even in urban environments in a very controlled manner. Researchers have now developed an electrically conducting substrate (another surface in place of soil), suitable for hydroponic farming. This substrate is called 'e-sil'. Barley plants grown in electrically conductive "soil" grew 50 percent more in 15 days when their roots were electrically stimulated. Hydroponic farming means that plants grow without soil. just themIt requires water, nutrients and roots. This system enables recirculation of water, so that each seedling gets exactly the nutrients it needs. Therefore this method of agriculture requires very little water and all the nutrients remain in the system, which is not possible in conventional farming. Through hydroponics, we can make maximum use of the limited space available for farming in cities. With this technology, vertical farming can be done in multi-storey buildings and towers in cities. this way in Advance Crops being grown include lettuce, herbs and some vegetables. Generally, grains are not grown using hydroponics method, but in the study, researchers have shown that barley plants can be cultivated using hydroponics. Electrical stimulation improves their growth rate. In this way, fast growing plants can be obtained with less resources. Electronic clay is made from cellulose, an abundantly available biopolymer. It is mixed with an electrically conducting polymer called PEDOT. Linkopin The advantage of Ga researchers' "soil" is that it has very low energy consumption and there is no risk of high voltage. Hydroponic farming can help in areas where environmental conditions are very harsh and cultivable land is very little.
—Vijay Garg Retired Principal Educational Columnist Malout Punjab
