Madhya Pradesh university grows potatoes in the air: How is it possible?
This soilless technique promises virus-free, high-quality seed potatoes, addressing key challenges in traditional farming amid India's growing food security needs.
Researchers at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agriculture University in Madhya Pradesh has successfully demonstrated a method of growing potatoes “in the air” using an aeroponics unit, a soil-free farming technique that could help produce high-quality, disease-free seed potatoes more efficiently.
The development highlights how modern cultivation methods are being adapted to improve crop productivity and seed quality, particularly for staple crops like potatoes.
This soilless technique promises virus-free, high-quality seed potatoes, addressing key challenges in traditional farming amid India's growing food security needs.
HOW TO GROW POTATOES IN THE AIR?
Aeroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, where roots are suspended in air and periodically sprayed with a nutrient-rich water mist.
Unlike traditional farming, where plants depend on soil for nutrients, aeroponic systems deliver minerals directly to the roots in a controlled environment.
The science behind aeroponics is based on maximising oxygen exposure to plant roots while ensuring precise delivery of water and nutrients. Roots receive more oxygen compared to soil-based cultivation, which promotes faster growth and efficient nutrient absorption.
The system typically operates inside enclosed structures such as greenhouses or net houses, where temperature, humidity, and irrigation cycles can be carefully controlled.
Although the technique may sound futuristic, aeroponics is not new.
Early experiments date back to the 1920s, when scientists studied plant root development in air-based systems. The term “aeroponics” was formally coined in 1957, and commercial systems began appearing in the 1980s.
Today, the technology is used worldwide, especially for producing high-quality planting material.
WHY GROW POTATOES IN THE AIR?
Potatoes are usually propagated using seed tubers, which can carry diseases from one crop cycle to another. Aeroponic systems allow scientists to produce “minitubers,” small, disease-free potato seeds, under controlled conditions.
These seeds can then be multiplied in fields to produce healthier crops and higher yields.
The Madhya Pradesh university’s aeroponics unit is believed to focus on optimising local potato seed production rather than inventing a new method. Such systems can produce significantly more seed potatoes compared to conventional nursery techniques while using less water and space.
Research on aeroponic potato production is already underway in the state.
In 2024, the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Regional Station in Gwalior, conducted experiments to identify suitable planting and irrigation methods for multiplying aeroponic minitubers under net-house conditions using multiple treatment combinations.
Agricultural experts say innovations like aeroponic potato cultivation could strengthen seed supply systems and improve crop quality for farmers.
As climate pressures and land constraints grow, soil-free farming technologies may play an increasingly important role in ensuring sustainable food production in India.
Researchers at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agriculture University in Madhya Pradesh has successfully demonstrated a method of growing potatoes “in the air” using an aeroponics unit, a soil-free farming technique that could help produce high-quality, disease-free seed potatoes more efficiently.
The development highlights how modern cultivation methods are being adapted to improve crop productivity and seed quality, particularly for staple crops like potatoes.
This soilless technique promises virus-free, high-quality seed potatoes, addressing key challenges in traditional farming amid India's growing food security needs.
HOW TO GROW POTATOES IN THE AIR?
Aeroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, where roots are suspended in air and periodically sprayed with a nutrient-rich water mist.
Unlike traditional farming, where plants depend on soil for nutrients, aeroponic systems deliver minerals directly to the roots in a controlled environment.
The science behind aeroponics is based on maximising oxygen exposure to plant roots while ensuring precise delivery of water and nutrients. Roots receive more oxygen compared to soil-based cultivation, which promotes faster growth and efficient nutrient absorption.
The system typically operates inside enclosed structures such as greenhouses or net houses, where temperature, humidity, and irrigation cycles can be carefully controlled.
Although the technique may sound futuristic, aeroponics is not new.
Early experiments date back to the 1920s, when scientists studied plant root development in air-based systems. The term “aeroponics” was formally coined in 1957, and commercial systems began appearing in the 1980s.
Today, the technology is used worldwide, especially for producing high-quality planting material.
WHY GROW POTATOES IN THE AIR?
Potatoes are usually propagated using seed tubers, which can carry diseases from one crop cycle to another. Aeroponic systems allow scientists to produce “minitubers,” small, disease-free potato seeds, under controlled conditions.
These seeds can then be multiplied in fields to produce healthier crops and higher yields.
The Madhya Pradesh university’s aeroponics unit is believed to focus on optimising local potato seed production rather than inventing a new method. Such systems can produce significantly more seed potatoes compared to conventional nursery techniques while using less water and space.
Research on aeroponic potato production is already underway in the state.
In 2024, the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Regional Station in Gwalior, conducted experiments to identify suitable planting and irrigation methods for multiplying aeroponic minitubers under net-house conditions using multiple treatment combinations.
Agricultural experts say innovations like aeroponic potato cultivation could strengthen seed supply systems and improve crop quality for farmers.
As climate pressures and land constraints grow, soil-free farming technologies may play an increasingly important role in ensuring sustainable food production in India.