Barley Root and Shoot Growth Dynamics in Deep Water Culture Hydroponics: Comparative Analysis Using AquaCrop Simulator

Catering to the prevailing agricultural issues like depleted arable land, climatic uncertainty, food security, higher demands of medicinal plants, etc. is a dire requirement of the urban society. Medicinal plants serve the multiple purposes of ensuring the good health of the natives and improving the economy of any nation. The growth responses of agricultural production greatly depend upon various factors like substrate for cultivation, energy consumption, resource availability and utilization, space utilization, and pests and disease management. This study conducts a comparative analysis of two separate forms of vertical farming: hydroponic and soil cultivation, by examining the growth responses of a herbaceous medicinal plant - barley. The yield comparison in both mediums is done to analyze and identify the best-suited cultivation method and the obtained growth responses are simulated in the ‘AquaCrop’ simulator to validate the actual results. The methodology of this study is a valuable tool to enhance sustainable agriculture and solve global agriculture problems. This study also enhances sustainable agriculture by showing how hydroponic cultivation works and fulfilling many other sustainable development goals like ‘no poverty’, ‘zero hunger’, ‘good health and well-being’, ‘industry innovation and infrastructure’, and ‘responsible production and consumption’.