Hydroponics is a technology for growing plants in a nutrient solution, which has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the advantages it can bring, such as lower production costs, lower water consumption and a higher content of bioactive substances in the fruits. In addition to vegetables and decorative plants, hydroponics is also interesting for some worldwide present fruit species, such as the garden strawberry. Several different hydroponic techniques are known, but in strawberry production the most common technique is cultivation on rock wool (rockwool culture) and other organic and inorganic growing media, which is a closed aggregate system. Strawberries are grown in substrate bags, which are placed in polyethylene tubes, through which an irrigation system is installed and a nutrient solution containing all the nutrients necessary for plant growth and development is supplied to the growing media via capillary tubes. Between the cultivation of strawberries in soil and hydroponics, there are noticeable differences in the amount of the crop, its chemical composition and sensory properties, which - depending on the variety, agrotechnological measures and growing conditions - can be in favor of one or the other method of cultivation. The economic efficiency of production is also determined by the consumer, who chooses the product based on its appearance and sensory properties.
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