Title : Revolutionising herbal industry sustainability: Hydroponics and aeroponics for high-quality soilless herb production
Abstract:
The herbal sector is undergoing a paradigm change towards sustainability, demanding novel techniques to assure a steady supply of high-quality raw materials. This abstract provides a disruptive approach for meeting the demands of the herbal sector by integrating hydroponics and aeroponics in soilless plant production. Traditional farming practises have frequently put pressure on the environment, resulting in deforestation and habitat degradation, as well as concerns about herb scarcity. Hydroponics and aeroponics, on the other hand, provide a sustainable alternative that has the potential to drastically reduce the industry's environmental footprint. These approaches use nutrient-rich fluids and a controlled atmosphere to reduce water consumption and eliminate the need for chemical pesticides. Furthermore, they allow for year-round cultivation, increasing the dependability and regularity of herbal raw material output. The benefits of soilless agriculture go beyond environmental benefits; they also provide superior herb quality by allowing plants to thrive in optimal settings free of soilborne diseases and contaminants. Furthermore, these procedures allow for more control over nutrient intake and growth factors, resulting in plants with enhanced therapeutic characteristics.
This study investigates the application of the use of hydroponics and aeroponics in therapeutically important medicinal herbs Bacopa monnieri, Stevia rebaudiana, Hemidesmus indicus Withania somnifera and Coleus forskohlii. The findings shed light on the potential of using soilless plant production for bio-stimulation as a cost-effective and sustainable method of increasing lead metabolites in the selected plants, consequently benefiting the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.
