Chapter 7
Principles of AeroHydro Culture
Rahmawati I. Wetadewi, Mitsuru Osaki, Maman Turjaman,
Sarjiya Antonius, Didiek Hadjar Goenadi, Dedi Nursyamsi, Maswar,
Lutfiah Surayah, and Tsuyoshi Kato
Abstract An innovative culture system for tropical peatlands has been developed.
AeroHydro culture is defined as plant cultivation at high ground water levels
(GWLs) with supplements applied to the peatland surface. In peatland ecosystems,
oxygen is usually the most serious limiting factor due to the very low levels of
oxygen solubilization into water. Nutrient deficiencies subsequently develop
because of both low nutrient adsorption due to the low oxygen level in the peat
water and the low nutrient content of peat. However, trees that grow in native
peatlands with high GWL have developed two strategies: forming aerial roots [for
oxygen absorption] and lateral roots that grow into mounds that accumulate litter,
called mound roots [for nutrient absorption]. Thus, AeroHydro culture mimics native
R. I. Wetadewi (*) · L. Surayah
Peatland Restoration Agency, Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia
e-mail: rahmawatiw@unops.org; lutfiahs@unops.org
M. Osaki
Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
e-mail: mosaki@chem.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
M. Turjaman
Forest Research and Development Centre, Forestry and Environment Research, Development,
and Innovation Agency, The Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Bogor, Indonesia
e-mail: turjaman@forda-mof.org
S. Antonius
Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Bogor, Indonesia
e-mail: sarjiya.antonius@lipi.go.id
D. H. Goenadi
Indonesian Research Institute for Biotechnology and Bioindustry, PT Riset Perkebunan
Nusantara, Bogor, Indonesia
D. Nursyamsi · Maswar
Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, South
Jakarta, Indonesia
T. Kato
PT. Wana Subur Lestari, and PT. Mayangkara Tanaman Industri, Jakarta, Indonesia
e-mail: tk@wanasl.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Osaki et al. (eds.), Tropical Peatland Eco-management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4654-3_7
249
Principles of AeroHydro Culture
Rahmawati I. Wetadewi, Mitsuru Osaki, Maman Turjaman,
Sarjiya Antonius, Didiek Hadjar Goenadi, Dedi Nursyamsi, Maswar,
Lutfiah Surayah, and Tsuyoshi Kato
Abstract An innovative culture system for tropical peatlands has been developed.
AeroHydro culture is defined as plant cultivation at high ground water levels
(GWLs) with supplements applied to the peatland surface. In peatland ecosystems,
oxygen is usually the most serious limiting factor due to the very low levels of
oxygen solubilization into water. Nutrient deficiencies subsequently develop
because of both low nutrient adsorption due to the low oxygen level in the peat
water and the low nutrient content of peat. However, trees that grow in native
peatlands with high GWL have developed two strategies: forming aerial roots [for
oxygen absorption] and lateral roots that grow into mounds that accumulate litter,
called mound roots [for nutrient absorption]. Thus, AeroHydro culture mimics native
R. I. Wetadewi (*) · L. Surayah
Peatland Restoration Agency, Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia
e-mail: rahmawatiw@unops.org; lutfiahs@unops.org
M. Osaki
Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
e-mail: mosaki@chem.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
M. Turjaman
Forest Research and Development Centre, Forestry and Environment Research, Development,
and Innovation Agency, The Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Bogor, Indonesia
e-mail: turjaman@forda-mof.org
S. Antonius
Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Bogor, Indonesia
e-mail: sarjiya.antonius@lipi.go.id
D. H. Goenadi
Indonesian Research Institute for Biotechnology and Bioindustry, PT Riset Perkebunan
Nusantara, Bogor, Indonesia
D. Nursyamsi · Maswar
Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, South
Jakarta, Indonesia
T. Kato
PT. Wana Subur Lestari, and PT. Mayangkara Tanaman Industri, Jakarta, Indonesia
e-mail: tk@wanasl.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Osaki et al. (eds.), Tropical Peatland Eco-management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4654-3_7
249