PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydroponic apparatus and a hydroponic method by which roots of a plant can be observed accurately.SOLUTION: In a hydroponic apparatus 100 and a hydroponic method, transparent granules 12 are filled into a cultivation container 11 having a transparent part 17, and roots of a plant P are observed while cultivating the plant P by letting the roots spread into gaps of the transparent granules 12, in which at least a part of a large number of the transparent granules 12 is immersed into transparent immersion liquid 13. It is preferable that the transparent granules 12 be hydrogel made of water-absorbing resin into which water or aqueous solution is absorbed.COPYRIGHT: (C)2015,JPO&INPIT【課題】正確に植物の根が観察できる水耕栽培装置、及び水耕栽培方法を提供する。【解決手段】水耕栽培装置100、及び水耕栽培方法では、透明部17を有する栽培容器11に、透明粒体12を充填し、透明粒体12の間隙に根を張らせるようにして植物Pを栽培しながら植物Pの根を観察するにあたり、多数の透明粒体12の少なくとも一部を透明な浸漬液13に浸漬させる。透明粒体12は、水又は水溶液を吸収させた吸水性樹脂からなるハイドロゲルであることが好ましい。【選択図】図2
