Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, Seventh Edition

Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, Seventh Edition is a comprehensive guide to soilless culture with extensively new and updated contents from the previous edition published in 2001. CryENGINE is one of the most powerful real-time 3D engines available today. Used in blockbuster games like FarCry, Crysis, and Ryse, its rendering and real-time capabilities are unmatched. The CryENGINE SDK toolkit can be used to build any type of game, from first-person shooters to strategy games and simulations. This book will take your CryENGINE skills to the next level, allowing you to unleash the full power of the engine. Whether you are working on a small mod or a large-scale production, the user-friendly steps and illustrations in this book will help you master the wide range of features of the CryENGINE toolkit. You will learn advanced techniques, best practices, and various methods utilized in production by CryENGINE veterans. This book takes you from setting up a professional production environment through to preparing your build for release. It begins with the setting up of a CryENGINE-ready production pipeline, further introducing you to the advanced features of CryENGINE. You will learn how to utilize build scripts to create automated builds, discover new features, set up your game characters to lip synch to audio files, and use the animation system to create life-like characters. You will also explore how to use the Lua scripting language to build more sophisticated gameplay elements. Additionally, you will also learn how to make your game look attractive by using particle effects and the brand new lens flare editor. IntroductionThe PastThe PresentThe FutureSuitable Site CharacteristicsSoil versus Soilless CultureReferencesPlant NutritionPlant ConstituentsMineral and Essential ElementsPlant Mineral and Water UptakeUpward Movement of Water and NutrientsPlant NutritionReferencesNutrient SolutionInorganic Salts (Fertilizers)Recommended Compounds for Complete Nutrient Solutions Fertilizer Chemical AnalysesFertilizer ImpuritiesNutrient FormulationsNutrient Stock SolutionsPreparing the Nutrient SolutionPlant Relations and Cause of Nutrient Solution ChangesThe MediumMedium CharacteristicsWater CharacteristicsIrrigationPumping of Nutrient Solution into BedsSterilization of MediumReferencesWater CultureIntroductionRaceway, Raft, or Floating SystemAeroponicsHydroponic Grass UnitsAlfalfa and Bean SproutsMicrogreensReferencesNutrient Film TechniqueIntroductionEarly NFT SystemLater NFT SystemsCommercial NFT SystemsNutrient Flow Technique: Vertical Pipes, A-Frame, or Cascade Systems Gutter and Pipe NFT Channel SystemsAgri-Systems NFTHortiplan Automated NFT SystemOutdoor NFT WatercressEbb-and-Flow (Flood) SystemsA-Frame NFT SystemSummaryReferencesGravel CultureIntroductionMedia CharacteristicsSubirrigation Gravel CultureTrickle Irrigation DesignAdvantages and Disadvantages of Trickle IrrigationSterilization of Gravel between CropsAdvantages and Disadvantages of Gravel CultureReferencesSand CultureIntroductionMedium CharacteristicsStructural DetailsDrip (Trickle) Irrigation SystemWateringSterilization of Sand Beds between CropsSand Culture of HerbsAdvantages and Disadvantages of Sand CultureReferencesSawdust CultureIntroductionGrowing MediumBed SystemBag SystemNutrient Solution Distribution SystemAdvantages and Disadvantages of Sawdust CultureReferencesRockwool CultureIntroductionNorth American Greenhouse Vegetable IndustryWorld Greenhouse Vegetable IndustryRockwool.. Front Cover......Page 1 Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 6 Preface to the Seventh Edition......Page 14 Acknowledgments......Page 16 Author......Page 18 List of Figures......Page 20 List of Tables......Page 36 1. Introduction......Page 38 2. Plant Nutrition......Page 46 3. Nutrient Solution......Page 68 4. The Medium......Page 126 5. Water Culture......Page 134 6. Nutrient Film Technique......Page 182 7. Gravel Culture......Page 236 8. Sand Culture......Page 254 9. Sawdust Culture......Page 268 10. Rockwool Culture......Page 282 11. Coco Coir Culture......Page 330 12. Other Soilless Cultures......Page 346 13. Tropical Hydroponics and Special Applications......Page 386 14. Plant Culture......Page 424 Appendix 1: Horticultural, Hydroponic, and Soilless-Culture Societies......Page 512 Appendix 2: Greenhouse Production Resources......Page 514 Appendix 3: Units of Measurement—Conversion Factors......Page 520 Appendix 4: Physical Constants of Inorganic Compounds......Page 522 Appendix 5: Greenhouse and Hydroponic Suppliers......Page 524 Bibliography......Page 530 Back Cover......Page 551 Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower details advances that have taken place in this field since the publication of the previous edition in 2001. Meant for hobby and commercial growers, the book shows readers how to set up a hydroponic operation with the options of using any of the many hydroponic cultures presently used in the industry to grow vegetable crops; provides background in plant physiology and nutrition essential for growing these crops; and described nutrient formulations and their applications in nutrient solutions with calculations.--COVER Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, Seventh Edition is a comprehensive guide to soilless culture with extensively new and updated contents from the previous edition published in 2001. Meant for hobby and commercial growers, the book:Shows the reader how to set up a hydroponic operation with the options of using any of the many hydroponic cultures presently used in the industry to grow vegetable cropsProvides background in plant physiology and nutrition essential for g