Review of current hydroponic food production practices and the potential role of bioelectrochemical systems

Hydroponic cultivation is an efficient, resource-saving technology that produces high yields of high-quality products per unit area without soil. While this technology can save water and fertilisers, water recirculation increases the accumulation of root exudates known to be toxic to the plant, causing growth inhibition. The usage of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) is well-documented for wastewater treatment, desalination, contamination remediation, bioelectricity generation, etc. In this review we explore the issues associated with the usage of traditional approaches in detecting and removing the phytotoxic substances exudated from plant roots. Furthermore, we investigate the prospects of deploying BESs in hydroponic systems and highlight potential benefits and challenges. The application, feasibility and scalability of BES-hydroponic systems, as well as the possibility of integration with other technologies are all critically discussed. It is concluded that the use of BESs for hydroponic wastewater treatment and for real-time plant growth monitoring represents a novel and valuable strategy. This approach has the potential to overcome limitations of the existing treatment methods and contribute to the advancement of sustainable agriculture.

Graphical abstract