STATE TIMES NEWS
REASI: Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Reasi under the aegis of Directorate of Extension, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J) is guiding the farmers on hydroponics technology which is an effective technology for the production of fresh organic vegetables. KVK, Reasi is encouraging and creating awareness on the hydroponics technology among the farmers and many farmers are visiting to KVK, Reasi to know more about this innovative technology. KVK, Reasi has established a hydroponics unit at its campus and demonstrating the know-how about the technology to the farmers.
KVK has laid lettuce crop in the unit and many people are attracted by the technology and showing keen interest in it. According to Scientist & Head of KVK, Reasi, Dr.Banarsi Lal, in hydroponics system plants get balanced water and nutrition and this system saves about 80 per cent of water. He said that this technology has the huge potential as the agricultural land is shrinking and this technology can be the future farming. He added that in hydroponics system, plants are grown without soil and plants are least affected by the insects-pests and diseases. He added that the crops like lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, capsicum, strawberry etc. can be grown in this system of farming. He informed that the plants are grown in an inert substrate such as the perlite, coco coir, gravel etc. in the hydroponics unit.
Dr.Gurdev Chand, HOD, Division of Plant Physiology, SKUAST-J said that the hydroponics technology can be very useful to produce the fresh organic leafy vegetables especially in the urban and semi-urban areas. He further said that the crop is uniformly grown in the system as each plant gets balanced nutrition and water. He said that this technology is simple to operate and labour, water and nutrients saving.