Health care, food industry, agriculture, military forces, nature protection

Hydroponic culture of medicinal and spice plants contributes to the obtaining of ecologically safe, quality raw material with high pharmaceutical, taste and other qualitative features. It reveals and maximally uses potential opportunities of plant due to the controlling and optimization of cultivation conditions, it contributes to the increasing of plants’ productivity 5-6 times from unit nourished surface. Through the application of a closed system, the loss and expenses of water and nutrients (per unit surface and yield) are minimized and due to the production process (mostly automated) it provides a lower cost price. Through the application of a closed system ecological pollution of the environment is excluded, as well as the risk of spread and outbreak of diseases is minimized. 
From 1 hectare of nourished hydroponic surfaces 150-200 ton/ha fresh or 15-20ton/ha dry raw material of medicinal and spice plants can be obtained.

Preparation of the hydroponic station for exploitation - approximately USD 20.800 (only in the 1st year)
Obtaining of peppermint rhizome and other plants seeds – approximately USD 4.100 
1 ha hydroponic station exploitation in a year (electricity, water, fertilizers, crop planting and seeds sowing, care, harvest, drying, etc) – USD 97.600
Total - USD 122.500

To organize soilless production of a number of valuable and rare medicinal and spice plants at the Etchmiadzin hydroponic station (with 2,3 ha total or 1 ha nourished surface) in collaboration with the Institute and on joint, mutually beneficial basis. 
600 m2 multi dryer (for raw material) is also available at the station.
It is possible to produce more than 35 medicinal and spice plants (peppermint, motherwort, bur marigold, sage, celandine, chicory, liquorice, chamomile, hop, melissa, nepeta, kalanchoe, aloe, stevia, basil, lemon basil, parsley, coriander, dill, thyme, savory, mint, etc.). The Institute has a multi-years rich scientific experience in the field of soilless cultivation of medicinal and spice plants. The results and economic effectiveness have been repeatedly confirmed by the large-scale productions at Etchmiadzin hydroponic station of the Institute.

Albert Hovsepyan, Deputy Director of G.Davtyan Institute of Hydroponics Problems of NAS RA
E-mail: hydrop {[ at ]} netsys.am
Tel.: (+374 10) 562805, (+374 91) 006052

Anna Tadevosyan, Deputy Director of G.Davtyan Institute of Hydroponics Problems of NAS RA
E-mail: anntadevosyan {[ at ]} yahoo.com
Tel.: (+374 10) 563015, (+374 91) 243151