A hydroponic vegetable plantation in Haimen district, Nantong. [Photo/xuexi.cn]

Haimen district in Nantong, Jiangsu province has in recent years been focusing on applying cutting-edge technologies in its agriculture industry, thus forming new quality productive forces.

Hydroponic cultivation technology stands out as noteworthy among these new technologies, employing water-soluble fertilizers and incorporating essential microelements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc required for vegetable growth.

As a result, the vegetables grown through this method offer superior taste and enhanced nutritional value. By growing in hydroponic systems rather than soil, vegetables are shielded from soil-borne diseases, significantly reducing the need for pesticides, which not only assures consumers of safer produce but also contributes to better overall quality.

Furthermore, adopting hydroponic cultivation technology both enhances vegetable quality and ensures a more consistent annual yield. Within the same cultivation area, hydroponic systems can accommodate twice the planting density compared to traditional soil cultivation.

Haimen has thus far established a hydroponic vegetable cultivation area of 100 mu (6.67 hectares), encompassing over 10 varieties of vegetables adaptable to hydroponic growth. The district's annual yield per mu reaches 30,000 yuan ($4,140.31), doubling or tripling the returns from conventional soil cultivation.

Soilless cultivation techniques have also been widely applied elsewhere in the district, with coconut coir and organic substrates replacing soil for cultivation. Coconut coir offers strong water retention, good aeration, and sustained nutrient maintenance, while also preventing soil-borne diseases. The per-mu yield from soilless cultivation exceeds that of conventional soil cultivation by 30 percent.

The total area under soilless cultivation in the district is now close to 500 mu.

A soilless vegetable plantation in Haimen district, Nantong. [Photo/xuexi.cn]