Research on soil-less plants is encouraging in Oman

Muscat :Scientists in Oman have completed the first phase of research on alternative farming.

The method called hydroponics is used to grow vegetables and plants without soil. Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) scientists conducted the study by growing tomato and lettuce plants and the yield was substantial.

A senior professor at SQU said the first phase of the research project, which began last September, has been completed and the second phase has started with the advent of the current academic year at the Crop Sciences Department at the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences.

The project is supervised by Dr Ahmad Yahya Al Maskri, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Crop Sciences and carried out by Latifa Bint Mohammad Al Kharousi, a technician in the department.

"Nutrients and fertilisers for soil-less gardening, or plants, etc. are dissolved in water and fed directly to the roots, automatically," the technician explained.

She added that hydroponic vegetables are healthy, vigorous and consistently reliable. "Gardening is clean and extremely easy, requiring very little effort," she explained.

With small roots, hydroponic plants can be grown very close together, thereby conserving space, Al Kharousi said.