Comparative Analysis of Aquaponic, Hydroponic, and Geoponic Systems for Greenhouse Cultivation of Vigna radiata and Centella asiatica

Aquaponics is a technology within the integrated agri-aquaculture systems discipline that combines animal and plant culture to optimize resource conservation, nutrient cycling, and overall efficiency. This study compares plant growth across three cultivation methods of hydroponics, aquaponics, and soil-based (geoponics)over a 45-day period, focusing on Vigna radiata (Green Gram) and Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola). The primary objective was to assess whether water-based systems (hydroponics and aquaponics) promote greater plant height and leaf development compared to traditional soil cultivation. The results revealed that hydroponic systems achieved the most rapid growth, with green gram reaching 18 cm by the end of the experiment. Aquaponics also exhibited improved growth over the soil system, reaching a final height of 14 cm. Soil cultivation resulted in the slowest growth, with green gram attaining 13.7 cm by the end of the study. For Gotu kola, hydroponics showed the fastest growth, with rapid increases after day 5, while aquaponics followed a similar pattern with slightly slower rates. The soil system exhibited gradual growth, with a noticeable increase between days 19 and 25. These findings underscore the benefits of water-based cultivation methods, particularly hydroponics, in promoting faster and more efficient plant growth. The study emphasizes the importance of nutrient availability and water management in optimizing plant development and suggests the potential of hydroponics and aquaponics for enhancing agricultural productivity.