Design and Development of Aerogarden System for Exotic Crop Cultivation

The present research focused on the design, development and evaluation of an aero garden system for urban agriculture/commercial growing of vegetable crops. The system comprises of four aero towers integrated with a recirculating nutrient delivery mechanism enables high density, pesticide free crop cultivation in the limited space. Each aerotower, measuring 250 cm tall and 15 cm in diameter, supports up to 48 plants per tower. The system is powered by 80W submersible pump, reducing electricity consumption compared to conventional aeroponic setups with individual pumps for each tower. The design was tested in a naturally ventilated polyhouse in Dr.NTR College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh and the results demonstrated the efficient water and nutrient use and minimal maintenance. The aero garden system is designed to lower operational costs while maximizing yield per unit area. The aero garden system promotes crop diversity and offers a sustainable solution for urban farming and commercial hydroponic ventures.