The organic hydroponic system 4.0 that works at high temperatures without chemicals or fish
Among the innovations on display in the demonstration area of RomeCup 2025 is H4O. Hydroponic Organic 4.0, a soilless cultivation module that combines simplicity, sustainability and high yield.
At the heart of the system is an NHS (New Hybrid System) tank, which acts as both a water reservoir and a cultivation container. The structure is completed by vertical towers that allow for optimisation of space in height, significantly increasing the yield per square metre.
The real revolution lies in the organic hydroponic cultivation process, covered by a patent filed last March, which allows the simultaneous growth of different plant species, overcoming the limitations of traditional hydroponic monoculture, and enables cultivation even in extreme environments, without the need to cool the water, demineralise it or lower its pH. The whole system is powered by a closed-circuit pump for reduced and efficient water consumption.
Marco Stefanelli, Gianmarco Grippo and Alessandro Donati, technicians at the Botanical Gardens in Rome, describe the origins of the project: ‘The two known techniques are hydroponics, which uses synthetic chemical fertilisers and requires very strict parameters in order to function, and aquaponics, which uses fish excrement to feed the plants. In 2020, when we had much more time to think, we decided to start down a different and as yet unexplored path, combining the two systems that had room for improvement.’
H4O has already been successfully tested in highly critical climatic environments (up to 53 degrees), such as the island of Socotra in Yemen and the Italian pavilion at the Doha Agricultural Expo. Since 2024, it has also been in operation at the FAO headquarters in Rome, where for the first time the organisation can consume what it produces. And ‘the vegetables produced have the taste and smell of products grown using true organic techniques,’ the experts assure us.
In addition to the demonstration area, the H4O team runs workshops for secondary schools with the aim of introducing young people to innovation in agriculture. The workshop offers an overview of the main soil-free techniques, with a focus on organic hydroponics. After a theoretical introduction, students can experience first-hand how a small system works.
From domestic modules for family self-production to industrial systems, H4O technology is a scalable and replicable solution designed for more sustainable, resilient and accessible agriculture.
