Factors studied

Positive effects

Negative effects

- Compulsory sanitary rigor.

- Immediate responsiveness to the slightest health or nutrition problem.

- Allow time for the preparation of nutrient solutions, monitoring in
cultivation course and all the operations necessary at the end of the crop cycle
(manipulation of substrates and distribution network of the nutrient solution).

- Important technical requirement.

- Less use of phytosanitary products.

- No loss of inputs if the nutrient solution is recycled above ground or on
field crops.

- Variable investments according to the method of elaboration of the nutrient solutions and the management of the irrigation.

- Investments for buildings.

- High risk of problems occurring either in the event of planter error or in
event of hardware failure.

- High return potential.

- Reduction of the risk of contamination of crops by pests.

- Control of irrigation and fertilization.

- Better visual aspect due to the “cleanliness” of the harvested products.

- Less pesticide residues.

- For the same variety, taste quality often comparable to that of crops of
full ground.

- Reduced and targeted phytosanitary treatments.

- Low surface mobilization in a context of land pressure.

- High consumption of materials from non-recyclable resources (plastics) and production of a lot of waste (substrates).

- Pollution by nutrient solutions if they are not recycled.

- Consumption of electrical energy by the distribution pumps.