REDUCING THE CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR CROP CULTIVATION THROUGH HYDROPONIC GROWTH SYSTEMS

The uses of industrial hemp are broken down into three sections of the plant; fibers, flowers, and seeds. The fibers are used to make paper and plastic products, textiles, and construction materials, the floral products contain pharmaceutically active ingredients, and the seeds are used in skin care, culinary oil, and human consumption. Growth of cannabis in a hydroponic system allows for greater control of the growing environment allowing for a faster and easier troubleshooting for nutrient delivery. The combination of optimizing growing conditions and post-harvest methods of drying and storage are essential to capitalize on growth without depleting natural resources. Through a technical design project and the STS research paper, we plan to prove that hydroponic agriculture enables faster growth and higher yields, with significant decrease of natural resources used in conventional crop production. Optimization of growing conditions using hydroponic systems allows us to maximize yield, shortens growing time, and allows for year-round crop production.