Soilless Media Culture-A Propitious Auxiliary for Crop Production

Abstract

Soil-based cultivation is presently confronting dire challenges to the lack of land availability, massive escalation rate of industrialization and intense urbanization. Land-related agriculture is at stake due to irrepressible climate vicissitudes, relentless soil degradation, unbefitting management practices and other adversative effects. The settings are further exacerbated by the increment in population with respect to diminutive land availability to cultivate. Hence, soilless media culture would make ways as an auspicious auxiliary in current pressing scenario. Proper management practices and technological advancements can utterly exploit the soilless substrates effectively and efficiently. Optimization of yield pertaining to incorporation of soilless media can also result in superior quality and growth performance in relevance to less agricultural inputs being consumed.

Full text

OPEN ACCESS Asian Journal of Crop Science
ISSN 1994-7879
DOI: 10.3923/ajcs.2018.1.9
Review Article
Soilless Media Culture-A Propitious Auxiliary for Crop Production
1Amjad Farhan Ashraf Farhan, 1Abd. Jamil Zakaria, 2Prof Nashriyah Mat and 2Khamsah Suryati Mohd
1Faculty of Agriculture Production and Food Innovation Research Institute (AGROPOLIS), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin,
22200 Besut Terengganu, Malaysia
2Faculty of Bioresource and Food Industry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 22200 Besut Terengganu, Malaysia
Abstract
Soil-basedcultivationispresentlyconfrontingdirechallengestothelackoflandavailability,massiveescalationrateofindustrialization
and intense urbanization. Land-related agriculture is at stake due to irrepressible climate vicissitudes, relentless soil degradation,
unbefittingmanagementpracticesandotheradversativeeffects.Thesettingsarefurtherexacerbatedbytheincrementinpopulation
withrespecttodiminutivelandavailabilitytocultivate.Hence,soillessmediaculturewouldmakewaysasanauspiciousauxiliaryincurrent
pressingscenario.Propermanagementpracticesandtechnologicaladvancementscanutterlyexploitthesoillesssubstrateseffectively
and efficiently. Optimization of yield pertaining to incorporation of soilless media can also result in superior quality and growth
performanceinrelevancetolessagriculturalinputsbeingconsumed.
Keywords: Soillessculture,burntricehusk,peatmoss,coirdust,perlite,vermiculite
Received: October04,2017 Accepted: December01,2017 Published: December15,2017
Citation: AmjadFarhanAshrafFarhan,Abd.JamilZakaria,ProfNashriyahMatandKhamsahSuryatiMohd,2018.Soillessmediaculture-apropitiousauxiliary
forcropproduction.AsianJ.CropSci.,10:1-9.
CorrespondingAuthor: AmjadFarhanAshrafFarhan,FacultyofAgricultureProductionandFoodInnovationResearchInstitute(AGROPOLIS),
UniversitiSultanZainalAbidin,22200BesutTerengganu,Malaysia
Copyright: ©2018AmjadFarhanAshrafFarhan
etal
.Thisisanopenaccessarticledistributedunderthetermsofthecreativecommonsattribution
License,whichpermitsunrestricteduse,distributionandreproductioninanymedium,providedtheoriginalauthorandsourcearecredited.
CompetingInterest: Theauthorshavedeclaredthatnocompetinginterestexists.
DataAvailability: Allrelevantdataarewithinthepaperanditssupportinginformationfiles.

AsianJ.CropSci.,10(1):1-9,2018
INTRODUCTION
Soil formation was influenced from different kinds of
parentmaterials,time,bioticfactors,topographyandclimate
inwhichsoilwouldbemadeupofapproximately40-50%of
minerals,0-10%oforganicmattercontent,floraandfauna,
macroscopicandmicroscopicorganismaswellasaround50%
ofporespacemainlyfromairandwater1.Insidethesoil,there
aremassivecoloniesofphylogeneticgroupsofbacteriaina
universally scattered manner and somehow ample in
existence2.  It was comprised of organic matter content,
mineralmatter,someporespace,water,air,lifeformsaswell
asvastpresenceofmicro-organismandmacro-organism3.Soil
is also the typically most profound growing media being
conventionally exploited as planting medium for plants4.
Horizonsinsoilarealsopresentedtosegregatetheminerals
and organic constituents as well as the disparate parent
materials in morphology, depth, physical, chemical and
biologicalcharacteristics5.Otherthanthat,animalsandplants
aredirectlyorindirectlyhighlydependentonsoilfornutrients
and support6. Taxonomically, soil is also renowned to be
assortmentofnaturalb o d i e s o f t h eearth ʼ s superfi c i al,whether
amendedbymanor earthly materials, encompassing living
matter and supporting plant progression7. The dynamic
relationshipit possesseswould make itcentral for plantto
thriveamicablywithinitssurroundingenvironment.Healthy
soilwithsufficientorganicmattercontent,humicacids,humin
andfulvic acids can prearrange decent condition tosustain
growingplantswithadvancedyieldandsuperiorgrowth8.It
was also made up of around 40-80% of sand, silt and clay
which the diverse presence of these components with
differentextentscouldresultindissimilarcharacteristicsand
textures9. The settings are further exacerbated by the
increment in population with respect to diminutive land
availabilitytocultivate.Hencetheobjectiveofstudywasthat
soilless media culture would make ways as an auspicious
auxiliary.
Soildegradationandcompaction:Intensiveandunrestrained
exploitation of soil had been a foremost problem to the
proliferationofplantsanditsenvironment10.Disturbedlands
hadbeenfoundtoinhibitsoilmicrobialfunctionaldiversity
suchaslowermetabolicdiversityandcarbon-mineralization
in comparison to undisturbed lands11. Naturally, soils are
resilient yet it can be inclined to relentless deterioration
through soil formation and unfitting cultural practices12.
Degradationofsoilcanleadtomechanicalresistanceviaits
soilmatrix to therootin whichit canobstruct its progress
especiallywhentherootpressurewasoverwhelmedinaway
that it could lead to a decline in root length and root
elongation  rate13.Otherthanthat,theoccurrenceof
compactioncanbreedundesirableoutcomessuchasreduced
cropyields,deprivedstateofplantgrowth,constrainedplant
rootgrowthandlessernutrientuptake14,15.Thisiswhycareful
forecasting and administration of soil  were  obligatory in
ordertoavertthepossibilityofreducedyieldandproductivity
mainly instigated through soil compaction16. Physical
properties of soil could alsobealteredbymeansof
compactioninwhichitwouldconsequencetothechangeof
soilporosity,soiltexturesandwaterholdingcapacity17-20.
Prominentchallengesandconfrontationaleffectsinsoil
managementhadarisenduetomodernizationofcivilization,
which direct to diminishing scale of land availability for
cultivation, apart from rapid industrialization and colossal
urbanizationprojectsworldwide4.Theeffectsaregoingtoget
worseas soil was also proneto degeneration in its quality
particularly under climatic circumstances and irrepressible
manner of conventional farming in which it could further
interrupt plant growth performance21-23. Although, it was
assumedtobearatherintricateinteraction,therewasactually
athresholdofsoilbulkdensityinwhich it could resist root
penetrationtothepointthatitcouldbeutterlyimmobilized24.
Penetrationresistancegivenbythesoilwouldsurelyimpact
root zone and water movement mainly during primary
growth25.Therearefewprimarysoilphysicalpropertiesthat
couldaffectthe blossoming ofplantswhichwould include
heat capacity, soil strength, water holding capacity, soil
texture,hydraulicconductivityandsoilstructure26.Thiscanbe
furtherseenthroughitstexturethatcouldsomehowdefine
thebulkiness,poresizeandmechanicalresistancethatthesoil
couldoffer27.Themechanicalresistancefromthesoilwasalso
foundouttobehighlyinterrelatedtotherootelongationand
cropyield28.Thehydrostaticpressure(turgor)oftheseedlings
mustalsobeensuredtobeappropriateinordertooverwhelm
internal restraints imposed by the surrounding media29.
Severalstudieshadalsoindicateddetrimentaloutcomesdue
to soil compaction pertaining to the growth of plants30-32.
Unhealthyandunreservedpracticesofutilizingavailableland
mayleadtoinfertileandlessproductivelandsuchashighly
degradedsoilandBRISsoil.Thesesoilshavehightemperature
and dry condition contributed to its excessively low water
holdingcapacityandloworganicmattercontentwhichwould
makeitsuitableonlytofewcropsandhashigheroverallcosts
for cultivation33,34. Hence, the application of soilless media
cultureincropcultivationwouldgreatlybenefitthefarmers
andconsumersalikeaswellasprovidinganalternativetothe
usageofproblematicsoilsanditsadditionalcostofinputs.
2

AsianJ.CropSci.,10(1):1-9,2018
Soillessmedia:Soillessmediacanbeintheformofsubstrates
originated from peat moss, bark, coir, compost, rice hulls,
vermiculiteandperlite35.Thissoillesscultureisamainstream
practicein developing countries asnormalgroundsoilsare
typicallydiscontentedinusageforcropproduction12.Hence,
therudimentarycharacteristicsofgoodsoillessmediawould
be easy to acquire, economical, abundant in nature, light
weight, possess upright chemical properties and has a
satisfactorywaterretentioncapabilities36.Thequalityofthe
growingmedia must also be greatlymaintained to ensure
good growth of seedlings37. This was because sustainable
production of ornamental flower and other crops would
needtocompensate decentgrowingmedia with sufficient
waterholding capacityandaeration38,39.Themostcommon
incorporatedsoilless media are  coir-dustbased substrates
andsphagnumpeatinwhichitisamongthemostpreferred
andcommercializedprimarymedia40.Thiswasbecauseit is
occasionally acknowledged as substrates or growth media
withthe most prominentcrop productionmechanisms for
containerizedorraisedbedswithrestrictedvolumesandwas
appropriate for continuous supply of nutrients through
fertilization41-43.Plantscultivatedinsoillessculturenaturally
tendtohavesmallerroot-systemvolume than those in soil
cultureyettherootdensityofsoillessgrownplantswasmore
complex44.Thistechniqueofcultivationhasalsononeedto
adhere itself to traditional technique of using soil in crop
productionwhichmaycutsomeoftheinputcosts45.Current
trends of growing seedlings, plant proliferation and
production of ornamental plants are also immensely
dependentonsoillesssubstratesespeciallyincontainerized
plantingasitwouldensureoverallgoodplantproliferation
andgrowthperformance46-48.
Coir dust: Coir dust also acknowledged as cocopeat, is
customarilyextractedfromcoconuthuskintheformoffiber
as an agricultural by-product49. This coir dust was usually
madeintopottingmix,yetcarefulattentionwasrequiredto
ensuretheporosityofmediawasnotcompromiseddueto
deprivedstateofaerationaswellaslowermetabolicenergy
required for seed germination12,50. This is because the
interrelationinbetweenairandwaterwithinthecontextof
mediaporositywasveryprecarioustoplantgrowth51,52.On
theotherhand, optimum water retention iscompulsoryas
water discrepancy would momentously inflicts substantial
reductions in crop yield as it was greatly inclined to the
abridgedleafcarbonfixationandgeneralgrowthinhibition53.
Coconut coir dust has also adequate physical and
chemical properties, making it an apt soilless media for
growing plants54. Coir products usually obligate to
extraordinary K contents yet low in calcium, hence it
necessitatesincorporationofcalciuminordertoimprovethe
media55. It was also further elaborated that coir-based
productshas pH valueof approximately six,makingliming
practices a bit improper due to the probabilities of pH
exceedingoptimumlevelyetgypsummightbeasalvationto
bothlack of calciumand sulfur. Itwas also stated thatthis
byproductofcoconutindustrywouldalsoembraceprodigious
significance as an alternative to peat moss pertaining to
soilless media application56. However, coconut coir is also
knowntoexpresscomplicationsregardingitshighsalinityyet
its mixtures are noteworthy as an environment friendly
substituteforpeatsubstancesincontainerizedplanting57,58.
Diversecoirdustoriginswouldalsoobligatesignificantly
unalike physical and chemical properties59. However, this
growingmediawaspromisingasareplacementforthe
diminishing scale of sphagnum peat60. Both coir and peat
based substrate would have different water retention
especiallyifitwasmingledwithothermediayetcoirdustis
acknowledgedasaprominentgrowingmediawithrelationto
decent pH, electrical conductivity and other chemical
characteristicsmaking it beingincorporated widely in crop
cultivation48,61-63. Its good characteristics would somehow
contributetoagreateremploymentofcocopeatespeciallyin
growingcropswithsatisfactoryvalueinthetropics64,65.
Burntricehusk:Biocharhasaremarkablepotentialtoactas
asubstitutefortheincorporationofmanureandcompostas
itcouldpreservethecarbonʼsstabilityinsidethesoil66.Ithad
alsobeenfoundthattherewasamicrobialimmobilizationin
biocharwhichmaycontributeinretainingnitrogeninside
soil from being leached67. This may be due to the higher
availability of carbon that had led to the stimulation of
microbialactivitywhichresultedingreaternitrogendemand,
higher immobilization rate and the recycling of NO3. The
examplecanbeseenfromtheincorporatedcharcoalwhich
wasdonebythenativesinAmazoniawhichhadfacilitatedto
the formation of a rich dark soil called Terra Preta or Dark
Earth68. In several researches, it was found that nitrogen
contentinsidethecharcoalwasdeterminedat0.67and1.09%,
respectively69. The persistency of the charcoal had also
contributedtothestabilityoftheTerraPretainwhichtheland
can still be intensively cultivated untilnow due to its high
fertility.Theapplicationofflyashandricehuskashhadalso
elevated the soil properties via plummeting the soil bulk
density,enrichedorganiccarboncontent,nutrients,soilpHas
wellasriceyield70.
Additionally, it was found that the cation exchange
capacity(CEC)canbefurtherimprovedby50%bythe
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AsianJ.CropSci.,10(1):1-9,2018
incorporationofcharcoal71.Otherthanthat,ithadalsobeen
demonstrated that rice husk and rice husk ash had the
capabilities in eradicating heavy metals72. Biochar
incorporation as soil amendment is utterly favorable in
diminishingthebulkdensity,soilstrength,exchangeable
Al and soluble  Fe,  escalating  the  soil  water  content,
porosity,soilpH, cation exchangecapacity(CEC) as wellas
exchangeableKandCa73.Ricehuskswereconsideredasone
oftheagriculturalwasteproductsinwhichitsexistencewas
somehowabundantinthetropical countries comprising of
Indonesia,Thailandand Malaysia74.Infact,theexistenceof
TerraPretahadproventhateventheunfertilesoilcouldalso
beconverted into fertilesoil with theaid of thecharcoal75.
Hence,itiswisetofullyutilizetheabundanceavailabilityof
rice husk charcoal as it is alsoaby-productthatexistsin
enormous extents that could lead to environmental
pollution76.
Peat moss: In recent decades, peat substrates had
accomplisheditself as  theforemostcomponentswith
well-known characteristics of retaining water in greater
capacitythan mostof other soillesspotting media77,78 .This
naturally existing and organic soil conditioner can also
regulateairandmoistureforareaneighboringtheplantroots,
making it a superlative and prized constituents for both
horticultureandfloricultureindustry79.Soilamendmentsand
topdressingfrompeatwasalsoacommonpracticeingardens
andnurseries,particularlycontributedbyitscharacteristicsto
embracewaterlikeaspongeanddeliberatelyemancipating
ittotheenvironmentwhentheadjoiningsoildries80.
Sphagnumpeatmoss had remainedatypicalgrowing
media for many years, hence there was some expressed
distressonthisnon-renewableresource56,81.Peatmossisthe
most mainstream constituent in nursery and greenhouse
mixesforcontainerizedplantingmediawherebyitwasusually
incorporatedtoamplifywaterretentionandplummetingthe
mediatotalweight82,83.Intheenvironments,materialization
andbuildupofcarbon-richpeatdepositscanbeperceivedup
to ten meters thick due to its net primary production that
exceeded decomposition84. Upright characteristics of peat
mosssuchaslowbulkdensity,structuralstability,lowpH,little
nutrient and nitrogen immobilization as well as structural
stabilityhadgivenitspecialattentionasappositehorticultural
growing  medium85.  However, care should be taken in its
over-utilizationaspeatmossesareveryindispensabletothe
ecosystemswheretheyusuallythriveparticularlyatwetlands.
Sand: Sand is one of the mainstream soilless media
incorporated in agriculture despite its infertility and
incompatibility for cultivation86.Itwasusuallymixedwith
differentkindsofsoilandmediatoabefittingratiowhereby
itcouldoffer decentqualityof growing mediawithoutthe
needtocompromisedrainageaswellaswaterandnutrient
retentioncapabilities87.Gasdiffusion,waterretentionandair
withinporespacearereliantonparticlesizeandporesofthe
media52,88.Thecolonization of
G.intraradices
and infectious
propaguleswasalsofoundtobe40-50%higherinsandthan
thoseplantsgrowninothermedia89.Otherthanthat,majority
of standard mixed medium would feature fine sand or
concretesandwithsphagnumpeatorcoconutcoirtoupliftits
properties90.Sandisalsoparticularlyconvenientforplantsthat
necessitate growing media with loose soil and dry
environmentduetoitscompetenciesinnotretainingmuch
moisture as well as alleviating the porosity of planting
medium4,91.It  was  usually  emanates inthe formof silica
which is the heaviest material for growth media, inert,
incompressible and assuring  less exchange capacity and
waterretention92.Itwasalsofoundthatsandysoilalsohad
the greatest pH and lowest exchangeable acidity and Al
amongothertypeofsoils93.
Perlite:Perliteistypicallycombinedwithothersoillessmedia
inordertoattainpromisingresultsincropgermination94.This
gleaming-like volcanic rock will expand itself under rapid
controlled heating in which it would retain its lightweight
aggregation, low bulk density, chemically inert in many
environment,exceptionalasfilteraidsandfillersfornumerous
aswellasexpansiveinitsusedmainlyinplantcultivation95,96.
In terms of input costs, perlite is also cheaper than the
rockwooland has been incorporated aroundthe worldfor
agricultural productions97. The comparisons in between
rockwoolandperlitepertainingtothecultivationofsoilless
melon(
Cucumismeloreticulatus
)hadalsobeenfoundtobe
indifferent98. Other than that, perlite is widely known
originatedfrom mined mineral that was crushed and then
expanded under high temperature99. It was also able to
simulatedecentpropertiessimilartorockwool especiallyin
tomato(
Lypersiconesculentum
)cultivation100.
Additionally, this siliceous material has closed-cell
structure so that water would only adhere to its surface,
without absorbing it making perlite well drained and
lightweight101.Italsoencompassesdecentporosityduetoits
foam-like cellular structure, good thermal capabilities, low
densityandquitecheapinitsproductioncost102.Thissoilless
media had also demonstrated itself to be superior to
polystyrenebeadasanadditiveingrowingmediaduetoits
elevatedmoistureretentioncapabilities103,6.Thepresence
ofwaterinperlitewillbereleasedgraduallyatrelativelylow
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AsianJ.CropSci.,10(1):1-9,2018
tension,whichwouldmakeittopossessgooddrainageand
aerationattherhizosphere104.Theincorporationofperliteis
rather a mainstream practice in nursery propagation and
greenhousegrowingmedia83.Itwasalsoestablishedthat
the practice of coarse-grade perlite and pine bark in the
productionofbeitalphacucumberhad shown to lead to a
greater  degreeofleachateincomparisontothe
medium-gradeperlite105.
Vermiculite:Vermiculiteispreferableduetoitslowmoisture
retentionyet it could still uphold greater amountof water
than perlite which can lead to the optimization of plant
germination106.Itwasfoundthatvermiculitehadslightly
better effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) and
exchangeable calcium than peat107. Vermiculite is typically
neutralinpH,possessdecentwaterholdingcapacityaswell
ascontaininglittleamountsofmagnesiumandpotassium101.
Thissoillessmedia was also knowntobe porous duetoits
foam-likecellularstructure,withdecentcharacteristicssuchas
uprightthermalstability,lowmoistureretention,lowdensity
and relatively cheap in cost102. The heating process had
contributed to its sterilization, nimble in weight, decent
bufferingcapacities,goodwaterretentionaswellashaving
relatively good cation exchange capacity108. Vermiculite is
quiterelatedtoperlitefromthepointthatbothoriginateas
minedminerals thatwereheatedtoafinishedproduct,yet
perlite was incorporated to increase drainage whereas
vermiculite was used to retain water and positive-charged
nutrientssuchaspotassium,calciumandmagnesium83.
CONCLUSION
Cropproductionbymeansofsoillesscultureispromptly
successfully in both momentum and acceptance in
agricultural sectors. The amassed popularity and positive
trends across the globe can be especially grasped in
commercialcropproductionscontributedfromthedearth
of arable land and population increment. Demand on
horticulturalproductsiscertainlyonariseandthetechnology
ofexploitingsoillesssubstrateanditsmanagementpractices
iscurrentlybeingrefinedtoitsfullestextent.Conversely,the
bottlenecktoproperpracticeandcultureisbeingthwartedby
thelackofknowledgeandawarenessofpublicpertainingto
soillesscropproduction.Accesstostate-of-the-arttechnology
andprecisionfarmingisstillratherreservedfor developing
countriesand thestartup expenditurewould somehowbe
enormousandextravagant.Hence,appropriateemployment
ofsoillessmediainagricultureismandatoryspecificallytoits
availability, suitability and expenditure in order to make it
efficaciousandfeasible.
SIGNIFICANCESTATEMENT
Thisstudy addressed theissues ofcurrent diminishing
trendsofavailablesoilfitsforcultivation.Thus,thisstudywill
aidindeterminingthebenefitsandsuitabilityofsoillessmedia
cultureasanalternativetosoil-basedcultivation.
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