The Tripartite of Soilless Systems, Growing Media, and Plants through An Intensive Crop Production Scheme

Dear Colleagues,

The demands for vegetables, herbs, and fruits have increased along with the increased human population. Ornamental and medicinal/aromatic plants have become important components in our lives, due to their aesthetics and industrial and pharmaceutical uses. Production technology affects not only plant growth and yield but also overall plant quality, thus improving, in turn, the cumulative benefits of plants. Soilless cultivation—including hydroponics, cultures on growing media, and rooftop cultivation—is a modern and sustainable method for crop production and has rapidly expanded throughout the world, especially in cultivation areas affected by shortages of water and quality soil. Therefore, the increased interest in the commercial application of soilless cultivation has encouraged intensive research activity.

Soilless cultivation includes all plant growth systems either on porous substrates or on pure nutrient solution (NS) instead of the natural soil. The major advantage of soilless cultivation is the uncoupling of the plant growth from problems associated with the soil, such as soil-borne diseases, non-arable soil, soil salinity, poor physical properties, low temperature, the use of agrochemicals etc.

The rising interest in growing small/soft fruit crops, vegetables, herbs, and cannabis in soilless container systems has further increased crop production in controlled environment systems worldwide. These systems are used to grow hydroponic and pot ornamentals, seedlings, and transplants, and to increase plant metabolites in medicinal and aromatic plants. Moreover, soilless cultivation has recently gained great interest in urban agriculture and green infrastructure with vertical gardening, green roofs, and rooftop farming.

Successful and smart crop management should be based on a holistic approach taking into consideration cultivation technologies, growing media, and plant physiology. The recycling and the control of excess NS is associated with a considerable reduction in nitrate and phosphate leaching to the water resources and the maintenance of product quality/safety. Modern automated systems for nutrient and water supply constitute a prerequisite for reducing costs and increasing profitability in modern soilless cultivation systems.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish high-quality research articles addressing recent developments in growing plants in soilless culture, i.e., hydroponics and growing media, with special attention to horticultural sciences, plant physiology, root media, plant propagation, plant nutrition and chemistry, substrate properties, compost and waste management, engineering, and all other research fields related to soilless culture and growing media.

Dr. Nikos Tzortzakis
Dr. Daniele Massa
Dr. Bart Vandecasteele
Guest Editors

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