Aeroponics

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Aeroponics is the growing of plants with the roots exposed to the air. Water and nutrients are misted or sprayed on the roots.

Advantages

This method provides several advantages to a colony on Mars:

  • Water Conservation
  • Disease Control
  • Increased Crop Yield

Disadvantages

  • Aeroponics plants do not have a buffer of soil to temper changes or any type of technical problem. So they need constant monitoring and are somewhat less stable than soil grown cultures.
  • Monocultures are susceptible to disease.
  • Salt buildup, and basically any contaminant buildup in the water, needs to be controlled.

The long term need for aeroponics in a martian settlement is debatable. Plants will produce excess biomass, and all living beings will produce waste, that can be incorporated into soil. So the amount of soil available to a settlement naturally grows with time.