From electric cars to kettles a lot of things are “electric” these days. E-Mati or Electric Soil has been added to this list. Meanwhile, researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have used electrical conductors to create artificial soil for soilless farming.

They created the artificial soil by mixing a cellulosic biopolymer with a conductor called PEDOT. Through a method called hydroponics, they changed the soil's traditional shape by connecting the electronic soil to a low-wattage power source.

After experimental planting of barley seedlings in laboratory-made E soil, about 50% of the seedlings grew. It is believed that when the soil is electrically stimulated, plant growth is improved.

An article about E-Soil has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Eleni Stavrinido, a scientist at Linköping University's Bioelectronics Laboratory, said the world's population is growing and the climate is changing.

Existing agricultural methods cannot meet global food demand. Hydroponics allows us to grow food in cities. In this type of cultivation, rice husk, sand, sandstone, etc.

are used as the hydroponic layer. Plant roots develop in these layers as a substitute for soil. The E-Soil system creates a unique option for hydroponic cultivation through electrical conduction.

Researchers tried growing barley seedlings in electronic soil. It was found that barley grew 50% faster within 15 days. Hydroponics allows you to grow plants without soil.

In this case, root development requires water and essential nutrients as well as artificial media. In a closed system, each plant requires very little water to obtain important nutrients.

Hydroponics can be grown vertically or horizontally. Typically, lettuce, various medicinal plants and various vegetables are grown using this method. New research opens up new possibilities for growing barley seedlings using hydroponics.