ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the roots of the development of aeroponics starting back in ancient times with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and tracing it through the major technological discoveries that became the foundation for the science. These discoveries include the development of greenhouses, the breakthroughs in man’s understanding of chemistry and physics, and the experiments that were conducted in plant physiology. The identification of the chemical elements and the periodic table became the basis for inorganic nutrients and understanding the correlation between the plants and the aqueous nutrient solutions. The early pioneers, van Sachs and Hoagland, who developed a scientific basis for nutrients and plant growth—photosynthesis—are described. The new concept of soil-less growing is highlighted with the development of water cultures and hydroponic growing systems. This chapter also includes some of the original nutrient formulations developed for use in hydroponic systems.
