Recently, Researchers of Linköping University presented a novel method of soilless gardening, or hydroponics, using an electrically conductive growing medium called "electronic soil" or eSoil.

Background

• In hydroponics, plants are grown without soil, requiring only water, nutrients and a substrate - something for their roots to attach to.
• Hydroponics is not usually used to grow grains other than animal feed.
• This closed system allows water to be recirculated, ensuring that each seedling receives exactly the nutrients it needs. As a result, very little water is used and all the nutrients remain in the system - something that is not possible with conventional farming.

What is eSoil?

• In hydroponic environments, eSoil is a low-power bioelectronic growth substrate that can electrically stimulate the root system and growth environment of plants. 
•  This novel substrate is not only environmentally friendly, being derived from cellulose and a conductive polymer called PEDOT, but also offers a low energy, safe alternative to previous methods that required high voltage and non-biodegradable materials. 
•  eSoil uses low energy and minimises resource consumption. Its active material is an organic mixed-ionic electronic conductor.

Benefits

• Combined with the advantages of hydroponics, such as the ability of vertical farming to utilise available space, eSoil's low energy consumption and safety features offer a sustainable answer to the world's growing food needs.
• Hydroponics, food also can be grown in urban environments in very controlled settings.

Conventional Soil and its Types in India

Soil is the end product of the combined influence of climate, topography, organisms (flora, fauna and human) on parent materials (original rocks and minerals) over time.