Paper 3 · June 2017 · aeroponics and fermenter design
One advantage of aeroponics over the water intensive hydroponic system is that aeroponics
Aneeds no supply of mineral nutrients because the roots absorb from air.
Brecirculates a small volume of solution, so far less water is used.
Cremoves the need to control the temperature around the roots at all.
Dallows the crop to be grown in the open field without any structure.
Explanation
Aeroponics delivers nutrients as a mist and returns the run off to a reservoir, so the volume of water held in the system at any moment is small and losses are low. Hydroponics has to keep the whole root zone submerged or continuously flowing, which is where its heavy water demand comes from. Aeroponics still needs mineral nutrients, still needs an enclosing chamber and still needs its root environment regulated.
Derived from ZIMSEC Biology Paper 3, Jun 2017, Q11