Optimization of Horticultural Plant Production in Controlled Environments Using Proximal Sensing

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Protected Culture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2025 | Viewed by 743

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), National Research Council (CNR), Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: abiotic stress; plant biochemistry; gene transcription; nutrients; ecophysiology
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Guest Editor
CREA Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Via dei Fiori 8, 51012 Pescia, Italy
Interests: growing media; nutrient management; precision agriculture; modeling; ecophysiology
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CNR-Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara”, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto, FI, Italy
Interests: fluorescence; precision agriculture; crop production; optical sensing

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Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: greenhouse horticulture; soilless culture; nursery crops; plant water relations; mineral nutrition; crop modeling; quality of vegetables; open-field vegetable crops; biofortification; wild edible plants
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, the production of horticultural crops in protected environments is facing a deep upgrade toward high technological control systems, precision techniques, and more sustainable agronomic practices. Controlled environments are characterized by the possibility to modulate environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and light as well as the agronomic conditions such as the type of substrate, irrigation, and fertilization. These modulations enhance plant physiology and yield optimizing both quantitative and qualitative aspects of productions. In this context, it is strongly needed the development of non-destructive protocols to evaluate the plant physiological status in real time under different conditions.

This Special Issue is aimed at collecting papers using non-destructive methodologies for proximal physiological measurements using portable photonic tools on horticultural plants. Papers dealing with the exploitation of new strategies for reducing the use of fertilizers, water, and phytochemicals are particularly welcomed.

Dr. Silvia Traversari
Dr. Sonia Cacini
Dr. Lorenza Tuccio
Dr. Luca Incrocci
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • greenhouse
  • hydroponics
  • input saving
  • photonic sensors
  • sustainable horticulture
  • vertical farming

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 1755 KiB  
Article
Alternative Growing Media Under the Same Fertigation Scheme Affected Mineral Accumulation and Physiological Parameters in Grapevine Cultivars
by Nikolaos Tzortzakis and Antonios Chrysargyris
Horticulturae 2025, 11(5), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11050479 - 29 Apr 2025
Viewed by 197
Abstract
Under nursery conditions, various organic and inorganic growing media can be used for plant propagation. However, a common fertigation program may have varying effects on plant performance. This study evaluated alternative growing media under the same fertigation scheme in three indigenous Cypriot grapevine [...] Read more.
Under nursery conditions, various organic and inorganic growing media can be used for plant propagation. However, a common fertigation program may have varying effects on plant performance. This study evaluated alternative growing media under the same fertigation scheme in three indigenous Cypriot grapevine cultivars (Xynisteri, Maratheftiko, Giannoudi). Rooted cuttings were grown in pots containing soil, perlite, river sand, peat, and cocosoil. The plants were fertigated with a hydroponic nutrient solution with an electrical conductivity of 2.4 dS/m and a pH of 5.8. Xynisteri grown in peat and cocosoil accumulated minerals such as N and P while showing reduced levels of Na, total phenols, antioxidant capacity, and total flavonoids in the leaves. Additionally, plants exhibited low hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, indicating a non-stressful growing environment. Maratheftiko cultivar accumulated N in perlite, K in cocosoil, and P in peat and cocosoil media. When grown in soil, Maratheftiko showed higher phenol content and increased antioxidant capacity, which is correlated with elevated oxidative stress (higher MDA). Giannoudi appeared to be more adapted to soil and/or cocosoil media, as evidenced by its lower MDA content, total phenols, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity, compared to plants grown in perlite, sand, and peat. Chlorophyll and total carotenoid levels were increased in Giannoudi grown in soil. In conclusion, both growing media and fertigation practices should be tailored to optimize plant performance under nursery conditions. Full article
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