Search Results (72)

Mulberry is an important plant not only for sericulture but also for the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its rich biochemical profile. However, in temperate climates, its cultivation is limited to the warm season. This study investigates the feasibility of year-round mulberry production using soil-less cultivation techniques. The Kokuso 21 variety was selected, and propagation was initiated from seeds in three different environments: conventional soil beds, an aeroponic system, and in vitro culture using Murashige-Skoog medium. Growth parameters, including plants’ total length, number of internodes, and internode spacing, were measured and correlated with the plants’ biochemical composition, providing new insights into this underexplored mulberry cultivar. Among the tested techniques, the aeroponic system demonstrated the most promising results, with immediate applicability in field conditions, while in vitro propagation remains a viable method for germplasm conservation. These findings indicate that the Kokuso 21 mulberry variety can be successfully cultivated in a controlled, soil-less environment for continuous leaf production throughout the year. Full article

Environmental concerns drive the search for sustainable organic alternatives in horticultural substrates. This review critically examines three agro-industry renewable byproducts—wood fiber, coffee silverskin, and brewer’s spent grain—as partial peat substitutes. We aimed to comprehensively analyze their origin, processing methods, current applications, and key physical, hydrological, and chemical properties relevant to horticultural use. In soilless culture, wood fiber can be used as a stand-alone substrate. When incorporated at 30–50% (v/v) in peat mixtures, it supports plant growth comparable to peat; however, higher proportions may restrict water and nutrient availability. Coffee silverskin demonstrates high water retention and nutrient content, but its inherent phytotoxicity requires pre-treatment (e.g., co-composting); at concentrations up to 20%, it shows promise for potted ornamental crops. Brewer’s spent grain is nutrient-rich but demands careful management due to its rapid decomposition and potential salinity issues; inclusion rates around 10% have shown beneficial effects. In conclusion, when used appropriately in blends, these bio-based byproducts represent viable alternatives to reduce peat dependence in vegetable and ornamental cultivation, contributing to more sustainable horticultural practices. Future research should optimize pre-treatment methods for coffee silverskin and brewer’s spent grain, investigate long-term stability in diverse cropping systems, and explore novel combinations with other organic waste streams to develop circular horticultural substrates. Full article

An experimental evaluation of water productivity and footprint was carried out in a Mediterranean greenhouse tomato crop irrigated with different blends of desalinated seawater (DSW) for two different growing media: soil and soilless culture. Total and commercial water productivity values (expressed in terms of kg of fruit/m³ of water) and water footprint were calculated from empirical data on water consumption and crop yields. Regarding the growing media, the results of the experiment showed that the soilless culture had significantly lower water productivity and a higher water footprint, mainly due to the greater water consumption in these systems. These findings seem to indicate that fostering closed-loop soilless systems with water and nutrient recirculation is highly beneficial for improving the efficiency and sustainability of these soilless systems. The salinity of the irrigation water blends did not seem to have a significant influence on water productivity and water footprint. Nevertheless, treatments with higher DSW fractions and better quality showed slightly better productivity values and lower water footprints than those with higher salinity. These findings seem to support the fact that the conjunctive use of DSW and conventional water, within the range proposed in this study, is a favorable option from both economic and environmental perspectives. Full article

This study conducts a bibliometric and content analysis based on publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection, aiming to map the evolution and key themes in horticultural research in the context of technological innovation and sustainability. The results reveal a strong orientation toward digitalization and automation, particularly through the integration of artificial intelligence, mechatronic systems, and sensor-based monitoring in crop management. In the field of biotechnology, keywords such as gene expression, genetic diversity, and micropropagation reflect a sustained research interest in improving crop resilience and disease resistance through genetic and in vitro propagation techniques. Furthermore, concepts such as environmental control, soilless culture, energy efficiency, and co-generation highlight the focus on optimizing growing conditions and integrating renewable energy sources into protected horticultural systems. The geographical distribution of studies highlights increased academic output in countries like India and regions of sub-Saharan Africa, reflecting a global interest in transferring advanced technologies to vulnerable areas. Moreover, collaboration networks are dominated by leading institutions such as Wageningen University, which act as hubs for knowledge diffusion. The findings suggest that future research should prioritize the development of durable, energy-efficient horticultural technologies adapted to various agro-climatic zones. It is recommended that policymakers and stakeholders support interdisciplinary research initiatives, promote knowledge transfer mechanisms, and ensure equitable access to innovation for smallholder farmers and emerging economies. Full article

Sustainable agriculture faces major issues with resource efficiency, nutrient distribution, and plant health. Traditional soil-based and soilless farming systems encounter issues including excessive water use, insufficient nutrient uptake, nitrogen deficiency, and restricted plant development. According to the previous literature, aeroponic systems accelerate plant growth rates, improve root oxygenation, and significantly enhance water use efficiency, particularly when paired with both low- and high-pressure misting systems. However, despite these advantages, they also present certain challenges. A major drawback is the inefficiency of nitrogen fixation, resulting in insufficient nutrient availability and heightened plant stress from uncontrolled misting, which ultimately reduces yield. Many studies have investigated plasma uses in both soil-based and soilless plant cultures; nevertheless, however, its function in aeroponics remains unexplored. Therefore, the present work aims to thoroughly investigate and review the integration of plasma-activated water (PAW) and plasma-activated mist (PAM) in aeroponics systems to solve important problems. A review of the current literature discloses that PAW and PAM expand nitrogen fixation, promote nutrient efficiency, and modulate microbial populations, resulting in elevated crop yields and enhanced plant health, akin to soil-based and other soilless systems. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) produced by plasma treatments improve nutrient bioavailability, root development, and microbial equilibrium, alleviating critical challenges in aeroponics, especially within fine-mist settings. This review further examines artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in aeroponics. Models driven by AI enable the accurate regulation of fertilizer concentrations, misting cycles, temperature, and humidity, as well as real-time monitoring and predictive analytics. IoT-enabled smart farming systems employ sensors for continuous nutrient monitoring and gas detection (e.g., NO₂, O₃, NH₃), providing automated modifications to enhance aeroponic efficiency. Based on a brief review of the current literature, this study concludes that the future integration of plasma technology with AI and IoT may address the limitations of aeroponics. The integration of plasma technology with intelligent misting and data-driven control systems can enhance aeroponic systems for sustainable and efficient agricultural production. This research supports the existing body of research that advocates for plasma-based innovations and intelligent agricultural solutions in precision farming. Full article

Soilless cultivation systems are sustainable innovations in modern agriculture, promoting high efficiency per unit area, supporting food sustainability, and addressing the growing demand for high-quality produce with minimal environmental impact. This study evaluates the effects of fulvic acid, amino acid, and vermicompost biostimulants on the growth, yield, and nutrient profile of soilless-grown iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) in floating culture under controlled glasshouse conditions. Two experiments were conducted to determine the most effective concentrations and combinations of biostimulants. In the first experiment, varying doses of fulvic acid (40 and 80 ppm), amino acid (75 and 100 ppm), and vermicompost (1 and 2 mL L⁻¹) were tested alongside a control. Optimal doses were identified based on their positive effects on lettuce growth and yield. The second experiment examined combinations of fulvic acid, amino acid, and vermicompost extract compared to a control. Biostimulants improved lettuce growth, nutrient uptake, and antioxidants. Vermicompost boosted root biomass and leaf area, while fulvic acid and amino acid reduced nitrates and increased dry matter. Fulvic acid and vermicompost resulted in the highest yield (17.15 kg/m², 18.2% increase), and the combined treatment maximized antioxidants, increasing vitamin C by 17.16%, total phenols by 52.54%, and flavonoids by 52.38%. These findings highlight the potential of biostimulants as eco-friendly solutions for optimizing lettuce production in soilless systems. Full article

Soilless cultivation allows for the exploitation of the benefits of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) without the loss of efficacy observed with soil inoculation. In this study, we investigated the effects of a PGPR consortium on the plant growth, ecophysiology, and metabolic profile of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown in an aeroponic system under a low-nutrient regime. Overall, the plant biomass increased by 25% in the PGPR-inoculated plants due to enhanced leaf and root growth. The rise in the leaf biomass was primarily due to an increase in the leaf number and average leaf mass, coupled with a higher total leaf area. In addition, the inoculated plants exhibited an altered leaf anatomy characterized by an increased palisade parenchyma thickness and reduced airspace area, suggesting an improved photosynthetic efficiency and changes in the mesophyll conductance. The root morphology was also altered, with the PGPR-inoculated plants showing higher lateral root development. Furthermore, PGPR inoculation induced significant metabolic reprogramming in the leaves, affecting several pathways related to growth, development, and stress responses. These findings provide valuable insights into the intricate metabolic dialog between plants and beneficial microbes and demonstrate that the integration of soilless culture with an analysis of the ecophysiological, anatomical, and metabolomic plant responses can be a powerful approach to accelerate the design of new PGPR consortia for use as microbial biostimulants. Full article

Soilless culture systems, which promote plant growth and enable the precise control of the root-zone environment, have yet to be fully established for sweet potatoes. In this study, we developed a soilless culture system and examined the effects of soil covering and light exposure on the storage roots of sweet potatoes. Sweet potato seedlings with induced storage roots were transplanted into five systems: a previously developed pot-based hydroponics system (Pot), an improved version with storage roots enclosed in a plastic box and covered with a soil sheet (SS), the SS system without the soil sheet (SD), the SD system with light exposure to storage roots after 54 days (SL), and a deep flow technique (DFT) hydroponics system. Our study enabled the time-course observation of storage root enlargement in the SS, SD, and SL systems. In the SL system, light exposure suppressed the storage root enlargement and reduced epidermal redness. No storage root enlargement was observed in the DFT system, even at 151 days after transplantation. Light exposure in the SL system increased the chlorophyll and total phenolic contents in the cortex beneath the epidermis, while the starch content was the lowest in this system. These findings indicate that the developed system can induce normal storage root enlargement without soil. Additionally, the observed changes in growth and composition due to light exposure suggest that this system is effective for controlling the root-zone environment of sweet potatoes. Full article

The application of biostimulants in vegetable cultivation has emerged as a promising approach to enhance the nutritional quality of crops, particularly in controlled environment agriculture and soilless culture systems. In this study, we employed a rigorous methodology, applying various biostimulants amino acids, Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), fulvic acid, chitosan, and vermicompost along with mineral fertilizers, both foliar and via the roots, to soilless greenhouse tomatoes during spring cultivation. The experiment, conducted in a coir pith medium using the ‘Samyeli F1’ tomato cultivar, demonstrated that plants treated with biostimulants performed better than control plants. Notable variations in nutritional components were observed across treatments. PGPR had the best effects on the physical properties of the tomato fruit, showing the highest fruit weight, fruit length, equatorial diameter, fruit volume, fruit skin elasticity, and fruit flesh hardness while maintaining high color parameters L, a, and b. PGPR and fulvic acid demonstrated significant enhancements in total phenolics and flavonoids, suggesting potential boosts in antioxidant properties. Amioacid and vermicompost notably elevated total soluble solids, indicating potential fruit sweetness and overall taste improvements. On the other hand, vermicompost stood out for its ability to elevate total phenolics and flavonoids while enhancing vitamin C content, indicating a comprehensive enhancement of nutritional quality. In addition, vermicompost had the most significant impact on plant growth parameters and total yield, achieving a 43% increase over the control with a total yield of 10.39 kg/m². These findings underline the specific nutritional benefits of different biostimulants, offering valuable insights for optimizing tomato cultivation practices to yield produce with enhanced health-promoting properties. Full article

Grafting high-yielding tomato varieties onto stress-tolerant rootstocks can mitigate the adverse effects of saline water irrigation on plant tomato productivity in arid regions like Saudi Arabia. This study investigates the efficacy of grafting tomatoes onto both novel and commercial rootstocks to enhance salinity tolerance and its impact on growth, physiological parameters, and yield in a soilless culture system. The experiment involved two water quality levels, 2 (S1) and 4 (S2) dS m⁻¹, two growth media types, volcanic rock (M1) and sand (M2), and six grafting treatments: Tone Guitar F1 non-grafted (G1) (commercial scion), grafted onto itself (G2), Tone Guitar F1* Maxifort F1 (G3) (commercial rootstock), and grafting the scion onto three novel rootstocks, X-218 (G4), X-238 (G5), and Alawamiya365 (G6). Growth, physiology, photosynthetic pigments, and yield improved with lower salinity (2 dS m⁻¹) in volcanic rock and with the grafting treatments (G2–G6) compared to the non-grafted treatment (G1). The best results were achieved with the S1M1G5 treatment, where yield increased by 53% compared to the lowest yield in non-grafted plants grown in sand under higher salinity (S2M2G1). All studied traits were adversely affected under high salinity (S2) in sandy media, with the G1 treatment resulting in the lowest values for these traits. Full article

Finding environmentally friendly solutions for crop growth and productivity has been gaining more attention recently. This meta-analysis aims to understand the combined application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and hydroponic systems compared to AMF in conventional (soil) systems. The analysis of up-to-date studies revealed that the root colonization, calculated as the proportion of colonized root segments relative to the total root length, by AMF in conventional (soil-based) culture exceeded hydroponic (or soilless) culture systems by 16.8%. The mean root colonization by AMF was determined to be 52.3% in hydroponic systems and 61.1% in conventional systems. Within hydroponic systems, the root colonization ranged from 2% to 20% after 10 days of inoculation, and notably, it exceeded 50% after 30 to 65 days, depending on the growing substrate and species. Under hydroponics, AMF application had a higher (compared to none-inoculated) positive effect on crop biomass and yield than fruit and leaf quality (antioxidants, phenols, and sugars) as well as leaf nutrients. However, AMF do not always have the potential to improve crop growth, quality and productivity in hydroponics. Among the studies analyzed in this review, approximately 34% (no effect: 29%; negative: 5%) reported no discernible positive effect on biomass or yield, 37% (no effect: 16%; negative: 21%) on fruit or leaf quality, and 60% (no effect: 47%; negative: 13%) on nutrient levels within plant tissues. To improve the performance of AMF in hydroponic systems, the meta-analysis recommended maintaining phosphorus levels in the nutrient solution within the range of 0.15 to 15.5 mg L⁻¹ as elevated levels (40–75 mg L⁻¹) were found to significantly reduce AMF colonization. Additionally, it was observed that certain hydroponic techniques, such as the presence of air bubbles generated by air pumps in floating hydroponic systems (Deep Flow technique) and continuous circulation of the nutrient solution (Ebb and Flow systems), may create dynamic conditions that could potentially hinder the introduction of AMF spores into hydroponic systems and potentially compromise the integrity of the spores and hyphae. Full article

Struvite and ammonium nitrate (AN), as wastewater-recovered products, are possible alternatives as raw materials for nutrient solutions. However, their impact on the rhizosphere microbiota and N₂O emissions is scarcely known. Therefore, the present research studies the ecological changes in the bulk-substrate microbiome and its correlation with N₂O emissions in a perlite-based system tomato crop under (i) conventional synthetic fertigation management; (ii) fertigation with struvite; and (iii) struvite and AN. A high bacterial diversity and the natural presence of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria in a soilless system are highlighted. However, the different N-NH₄⁺:N-NO₃⁻ ratios influence the ecological niches of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB), with a stronger response by AOB community, while AOA kept constant regarding the fertilization applied. Despite this, enrichment of N-transforming bacterial phylotypes was relatively enhanced (mainly Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira, and Nitrospira) concomitant with the production of N₂O emissions when ammonium fertilization was overapplied. In the absence of a plant, N₂O emissions were positively correlated, respectively, with Nitrosospira and AOB:AOA ratio, suggesting potential indicators for ammonium availability in the substrate. Fertilizer blends using recovered nutrients are a feasible alternative for increasing circularity in horticulture. Nevertheless, optimum fertilizer management is needed due to its influence on rhizosphere microbiota and N₂O emissions. Full article

Inappropriate fertilisation results in the pollution of groundwater with nitrates and phosphates, eutrophication in surface water, emission of greenhouse gasses, and unwanted N deposition in natural environments, thereby harming the whole ecosystem. In greenhouses, the cultivation in closed-loop soilless culture systems (CLSs) allows for the collection and recycling of the drainage solution, thus minimising contamination of water resources by nutrient emissions originating from the fertigation effluents. Recycling of the DS represents an ecologically sound technology as it can reduce water consumption by 20–35% and fertiliser use by 40–50% in greenhouse crops, while minimising or even eliminating losses of nutrients, thereby preventing environmental pollution by NO₃⁻ and P. The nutrient supply in CLSs is largely based on the anticipated ratio between the mass of a nutrient absorbed by the crop and the volume of water, expressed as mmol L⁻¹, commonly referenced to as “uptake concentration” (UC). However, although the UCs exhibit stability over time under optimal climatic conditions, some deviations at different locations and different cropping stages can occur, leading to the accumulation or depletion of nutrients in the root zone. Although these may be small in the short term, they can reach harmful levels when summed up over longer periods, resulting in serious nutrient imbalances and crop damage. To prevent large nutrient imbalances in the root zone, the composition of the supplied nutrient solution must be frequently readjusted, taking into consideration the current nutrient status in the root zone of the crop. The standard practice to estimate the current nutrient status in the root zone is to regularly collect samples of drainage solution and determine the nutrient concentrations through chemical analyses. However, as results from a chemical laboratory are available several days after sample selection, there is currently intensive research activity aiming to develop ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for online measurement of the DS composition in real-time. Furthermore, innovative decision support systems (DSSs) fed with the analytical results transmitted either offline or online can substantially contribute to timely and appropriate readjustments of the nutrient supply using as feedback information the current nutrient status in the root zone. The purpose of the present paper is to review the currently applied technologies for nutrient and water recycling in CLSs, as well as the new trends based on ISEs and novel DSSs. Furthermore, a specialised DSS named NUTRISENSE, which can contribute to more efficient management of nutrient supply and salt accumulation in closed-loop soilless cultivations, is presented. Full article

In Korea, the majority of strawberry cultivation follows a forcing culture, where planting occurs in mid-September after the flower differentiation, and harvesting begins at the end of November. October and November constitute off-season, resulting in higher prices. The accelerated forcing culture involves artificially promoting flower differentiation to expedite strawberry harvest. This study aimed to identify the most suitable schedule for strawberry cultivation using the short-day and low-temperature treatments through greenhouse environmental control during the nursery stage. The selection of the most suitable cultivars for accelerated forcing culture among Korean breeding cultivars (‘Sulhyang’, ‘Kuemsil’, ‘Kingsberry’, ‘Vitaberry’, ‘Jukhyang’, and ‘Altaking’) was also part of the objectives. The nursery treatments were initiated on 4 July, 14 July, and 25 July. After approximately 5 weeks of treatment, transplanting was carried out. The control group was transplanted on 15 September. When night-chilling nursery treatment was applied on 4 July, followed by transplanting on 11 August, all six cultivars exhibited flowering earlier compared to the control group, leading to increased early yield. Particularly, the ‘Sulhyang’ cultivar showed the highest marketable yield at 68.6 g per plant in October. This research contributes to identifying the nursery cultivation schedule for off-season strawberry production and selecting suitable cultivars, and is expected to contribute to increased farm income. Full article

The degradation of soil quality due to environmental conditions and improper management practices has caused a shrinkage in land areas suitable for crop cultivation. This necessitates a transition towards soilless culture systems, which offer desirable conditions for crop growth and development and increase resource use efficiency. One of the growth-limiting factors in soilless culture systems is the type of growing substrate. The use of more sustainable resources and environmentally friendly growing substrates is a challenge that affects the soilless culture industry. This work evaluates the efficacy of date palm waste (DPW) and rockwool as growing substrates for sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under greenhouse conditions. The plant height, stem diameter, average total leaf area, φPSII, and Fm′ of leaf fluorescence show significant increases when plants are grown in rockwool. No differences are found in terms of the total yield or the number of marketable fruits and fruit quality between the two substrates. However, the DPW substrate shows a significant decrease in the number of unmarketable fruits and number of Blossom End Rot (BER) fruits. Plants grown in both growing substrates consume equal water amounts for the optimal fruit production, while the water use efficiency of rockwool is better than that of DPW. Our results highlight DPW’s role in soilless production and as a key solution for resource-saving production systems. Full article