HypoWave+ - Implementation of a hydroponic system for sustainable water reuse in agriculture.

Regional competition for water resources is not uncommon. Climate change, urbanization and pollution of water resources could exacerbate these conflicts of use in the coming decades. Even in water-rich Germany, conflicts of use are becoming more frequent. This is why new concepts and processes for water reuse are needed. In the BMBF research project HypoWave, hydroponic plant production using water re-use was piloted for the first time from 2016 to 2020. In the HypoWave+ project, the research network in the Gifhorn region is supporting the large-scale implementation of a hydroponic system using water re-use. On a cultivation area of one hectare, approx. 600-700 tons of vegetables are to be produced annually.

The aim of the transdisciplinary research network is to establish a new form of regional vegetable production. Based on the results of the HypoWave research project, farmers in the Gifhorn region decided to establish a company that produces hydroponically grown vegetables. HypoWave+ accompanies this project scientifically and investigates open questions in the areas of water treatment, vegetable production, intelligent control technology, quality management and institutional arrangements. The aim is to further develop the marketability of hydroponically produced vegetables by means of environmentally friendly water recycling, with the aim of applying it at other locations as well.

People

PD

Dr. Jörn Germer
Project coordination

PhD

Theresa Detering
"Nutrient uptake and growth of hydroponically cultivated crops under variable environmental conditions"

funded through the Anton und Petra Ehrman graduate school "Water-People-Agriculture"

MSc

Experimental development of a hydroponic nutrient solution based on organic residues.
Master of Science Thesis, Sebastian Heintze [Germany]

BSc

Einfluss der Lichtintensität bei gleichbleibender Nitratgabe auf die Kalium- und Kalziumaufnahme von hydroponisch-wachsenden Tomaten.
Bachelor of Science Thesis, Emilia Fischer [Germany]

Einfluss von Nitratgabe bei gleichbleibender Lichtintensität auf die Kalium- und Kalziumaufnahme von hydroponisch-wachsenden Tomaten.
Bachelor of Science Thesis, Zoe Rühlmann [Germany]

Publications

Paper

Poster

Talks