Saline aquaponics could help lift pressure on freshwater seafood and crop sources, but the system is constrained by plant salt tolerance levels, new data reveals. Instead of freshwater, saline aquaponics utilises "abundant saltwater resources" to raise fish and grow crops. This system could be an alternative to freshwater aquaponics or conventional farming, which have faced challenges such as soil salinity in dry regions.
"As freshwater resources have become increasingly limited worldwide, the abundance of saline water has made saltwater aquaponics an attractive solution. It is worth noting that only 2.5% of the worlds water is fresh, with the remaining 96.5% found in the oceans and seas," the study noted."
Researchers from United Arab Emirates University investigated the integrated aqua-vegeculture (iAVs) system, a method that employs sand for filtration, biofiltration, and crop cultivation.
These iAVs help in coastal, arid, or drought-prone areas where freshwater is limited. With issues such as drought intensified by climate change, iAVs offer a more climate-adaptive option.
Read more at AgTech Navigator