Aeroponics is the indoor cultivation of vegetables using high pressure aeroponics technology which is an automated production technique for growing plants without soil, sunlight or pesticides.
In such a system plants can be grown vertically, close to consumers and all year around - regardless of weather or season. Aeroponics can be viewed as a more advanced form of production than hydroponics, as plants are not contained in any solid material and are contained in a closed-loop system. Research in Aeroponics focuses on the physical and environmental conditions required to produce plants and vegetables, as well as the technological capabilities used to create these conditions.
SLU carries out basic research related to this technology, which has spawned at least three commercial spin-off companies. As such, former SLU staff and students are currently pioneering this growing field of (often urban) food technology. However, internally at SLU the research field is currently underdeveloped, though there is much potential.
Contact:
Martin Weih, Professor Department of Crop Production Ecology.
Email: martin.weih@slu.se
Andrew Gallagher
Coordinator for Food and Cities
andrew.gallagher@slu.se
SLU Future Food
futurefood@slu.se
SLU Urban Futures
urbanfutures@slu.se
www.slu.se/urbanfutures
SLU Alnarp
SLU Urban Futures
Enheten för samverkan och utveckling
Box 190
234 22 Lomma