Application and Development of Hydrogel in Soilless Culture

Abstract Soilless culture refers to the method of cultivating plants without soil as a growing medium, and the use of hydrogel in soilless culture overcomes many technical difficulties, but there are many applications that just stay at the experimental level, with fewer applications in fields. Although many new functionalized hydrogels may help to overcome the shortcomings of traditional media and give them more functionality, little research on hydrogels over the past decades has been reflected in soilless culture techniques. This paper details the concept and development of soilless culture, as well as several applications of hydrogels in soilless culture, including the use of hydrogels as soilless culture substrates and the application of hydrogel membranes. The important roles of different types of hydrogels in soilless culture, such as antimicrobial properties, salt tolerance and high water absorption, are highlighted, and these excellent properties largely overcome a series of drawbacks of traditional cultivation methods. The application of hydrogels in pest control is also discussed. Hydrogel applications to soilless culture have better prospects for the creation of more promising multifunctional composite hydrogel membranes and hydrogel substrates capable of supporting plants throughout their growth cycle.