Hydroponic Systems - Don't Let Root Rot Kill Your Hydroponic Garden

By Abdul Wahid Saleem

Hydroponics created a miraculous revolution in the farming atmosphere with its advanced technology giving way to better and eco-friendly produce throughout the year. This method of farming utilizes a soil less cultivation where the plants are grown in a coco peat and nutrition solution. A large number of traditional farmers are slowly but steadily shifting to this miracle method of farming owing to the unpredictable climatic changes happening around the globe resulting in mass crop losses.

With the large number of boons come some bane that should be kept in mind for anyone planning to adopt hydroponics or to those already doing hydroponics. One of the main bane of hydroponics is a disease called ‘root rot’. This particular disease, as the name suggests affects the roots of the plant causing it to rot with time. Rot is contagious that can spread from plant to plant via water, soil, unhygienic tools or decomposing plants.

The common symptoms to look for root rot are:

• Growth stunting

• Yellowing leaves

• Frequent wilting

• Brownish root tips

Root rot/Phythium is a fungus affecting the roots of plants especially those grown via hydroponics technique. These fungus have a spore stage where they float around in water or soil till they come in contact with a plant body. Phythium can also carry on through animals in their fur or stick onto their paws and gets placed on the plant when the animal walks around it.

Similar to the saying ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is true with this disease too, because you might have to remove the affected plant entirely or cut away the affected parts of them. Preventing root rot can be done by keeping in mind some of the following steps:

• Treat the water used for hydroponics with the help of a filter. Since fungus travel via water, filtering helps it remove the spores.

• Keep your hydroponics covered.

• Change water once in a while.

• Clean the garden when it’s dirty.

• Don’t allow pets to roam around the vicinity.

Hydroponics is a fairly new face in the farming sector and it is only a matter of time before the unwanted diseases are kept at bay. Currently, some farm industries like Nature’s Miracle have successfully implemented this new technology in growing hydroponic strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes etc.