From the first works of scientific research on plant nutrition, to be able to know and identify those substances from which the plants were fed, the first hydroponic cultivation emerge. The first investigations date from the S. XVII made by the scientist Robert Boyle.
As has happened so many times in the history of mankind, great advances occur due to wars. The case of hydroponic cultivation is no exception. During the Second World War, these techniques of hydroponic cultivation began to be developed in the Pacific Islands due to the need to supply fresh vegetables to the American soldiers who participated in it.
It is already during the sixties when there is a breakthrough in hydroponic cultivation, especially due to the proliferation in the use of plastic for greenhouse cover.
During the following decade, the 70s, there is also an impulse for new techniques of hydroponic cultivation especially in certain countries of Europe thanks to the agricultural development aid that aimed above all to increase productivity to achieve the food supply of the population.
Focusing on Spain, we can say that the areas of Murcia and Almeria are the precursors of hydroponic cultivation or soilless crops because it is in these areas where they start to cultivate with cultivation in sand technique.
During the last decades, the technical advances in the agricultural sector have been increasing as well as the use of hydroponic cultivation in intensive agriculture. Not only because of the development in crop protection but for the advancement of production techniques such as the development of dripping irrigation, programmers for irrigation control, the incorporation of computers to farm management as well as the development of different types of substrates to be able to grow hydroponic crops safely.
With soilless, better yields are obtained per Ha, as well as more rational use of important resources such as water and nutrients. In short, hydroponic cultivation is more productive and more respectful of the environment than traditional intensive crops, so they are called to be the future of modern agriculture.
