Soilless Agriculture at a Crossroads: Strengths, Challenges, and Prospects of Hydroponics, Aquaponics, and Bioponics in Relation to Precision Farming

In the face of escalating global challenges, including climate change, food insecurity, freshwater scarcity, soil degradation, and rapid urbanization, soilless farming systems, such
as hydroponics, aquaponics, and bioponics, have emerged as innovative and sustainable
farming solutions. Combined with precision agriculture technologies, these systems enable
real-time optimization of inputs through smart sensors, automation, and predictive modeling, significantly reducing resource consumption while improving crop yields. This review
provides a unique contribution by integrating and comparing the three major soilless
systems within a single framework and by highlighting, for the first time, their potential
synergies with precision agriculture. It critically examines soilless cultivation systems and
their relationship with precision agriculture, assessing the agronomic, environmental, and
economic benefits as well as the main challenges, including high initial costs, high energy
consumption, the complexity of managing biological inputs, the lack of standardized protocols, and limited accessibility for small-scale producers. The review highlights the need
to integrate renewable energy sources, develop biodegradable substrates, apply life cycle
assessment methodologies, and implement adequate training and regulatory frameworks
to promote wider adoption and sustainability.