The Conflation of iAVs and Sandponics: A Commentary on Sewilam et al., (2022)

A recent study by Sewilam et al., (2022) conducted a comparative analysis of a sand-based agricultural system. This commentary identifies a terminological inconsistency within the article, specifically the conflation of the proprietary commercial method "Sandponics" with the "Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System" (iAVs). These methodologies employ different nutrient sources and operational principles. This conflation led to the omission of pertinent historical data from the literature review and the misattribution of system limitations. This paper clarifies the distinction between the two technologies and emphasizes the research by McMurtry et al., which addresses the research gap identified by Sewilam et al.,