Demonstration on cocoponics - a new method of growing vegetables in soilless culture was conducted at Dhattatraya Vignesha Mandira, Kumbarahalli and Government Senior middle school, Kumbarahalli, Yelahanka taluk, Bangalore Urban District under RKVY project on 30th December, 2021. This programme was mainly organized to popularize and to create mass awareness among school children’s and general public about growing vegetables under soilless culture. Soilless culture is rapidly gaining momentum and popularity and one of the fastest growing sectors of agriculture. Soilless culture could well dominate food production in the future. The application of these systems is likely to increase close to existing cities as well as in mega-cities worldwide in the near future. In the beginning of the programme, Dr. D. Kalaivanan, Scientist from the Division of Natural Resources, ICAR-IIHR has highlighted the importance and need of soilless cultivation of vegetables on rooftop/terrace//utility area/front yard/ back yard depending upon the space available. He has further informed that the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru has standardized a complete production technology including nutrient formulations for open and polyhouse soilless cultivation of most commonly consumed vegetables viz., tomato, chilli, cabbage, cucumber, French bean, garden peas, ridge gourd and leafy vegetables and few exotic vegetables like zucchini and colour cabbage. He has demonstrated the soilless production of vegetables using Arka Fermented Cocopeat and IIHR standardized nutrient solution ‘Arka Sasya Poshak Ras’ in front of school children’s, teachers, elected panchayat representatives and general public. He has mentioned that using this technology urban and peri-urban people can grow their choice of vegetables to meet their daily vegetable requirement. More than 100 school children’s, teachers, elected panchayat representatives and general public were participated and benefited in the demonstration. During the demonstration, participants were interacted and cleared their queries about soilless vegetable cultivation in grow bags. Mr. Balakrishna, L., Senior Technical Assistant from Division of Natural Resources co-ordinated the programme.
