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Horticultural Production in Controlled Environment

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Vegetable Production Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 2855

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
CNR-ICB National Council of Research, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Via Paolo Gaifami n. 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Interests: horticultural and flower crops; agroecosystems and environment; sustainable development of agronomy; sustainability, biodiversity and ecosystem services of cultivation systems for bioenergy; breeding and cultivation systems
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The cultivation of vegetables in greenhouses within a Mediterranean environment has traditionally been associated with rudimental structures characterized by reduced light transmittance, poor ventilation, and significant daily temperature fluctuations. Within this context characterized by inadequate facilities and a limited technological level, extensive manual labor is required, exhibiting low productivity levels (PLV) and frequently suffering from limited access to quality irrigation water, often high in salinity. Nowadays, these rudimentary structures are replaced by others with a level of cutting-edge technology and very high production performance, managing environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, light intensity, and duration. This shift towards advanced cropping systems reflects a broader transformation in controlled environment horticulture, with a special emphasis on inclusive approaches.

This up-coming Special Issue aims to comprehensively address the diverse facets of advanced cropping systems in the production of vegetables. We invite submissions that span a wide array of contexts, encompassing both product and process innovation. Emphasis will be placed on addressing contemporary challenges, including but not limited to climate change, the efficient use of resources, and the adoption of sustainable production practices that ensure high-quality vegetable products. Authors are encouraged to explore and present their research within the evolving landscape of controlled environment horticulture, providing insights into how these advancements address ongoing challenges. This Special Issue serves as a platform to showcase groundbreaking contributions that contribute to the evolution of vegetable production systems in response to the dynamic factors influencing modern agriculture.

Dr. Sergio Argento
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • crop productivity
  • product quality
  • sustainable production practices
  • efficient use of resources

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 4864 KiB  
Article
Effect of Different Fertigation Scheduling Methods on the Yields and Photosynthetic Parameters of Drip-Fertigated Chinese Chive (Allium tuberosum) Grown in a Horticultural Greenhouse
by Koichi Nomura, Eriko Wada, Masahiko Saito, Shuji Itokawa, Keisuke Mizobuchi, Hiromi Yamasaki, Ikunao Tada, Tadashige Iwao, Tomihiro Yamazaki and Masaharu Kitano
Horticulturae 2024, 10(8), 794; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10080794 - 27 Jul 2024
Viewed by 198
Abstract
This study investigated the performance of four different fertigation scheduling methods in greenhouse-grown, drip-fertigated Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) cultivation. These methods were based on (1) the use of a timer (control), (2) accumulated radiation (AR), (3) estimated evapotranspiration (ET), and (4) [...] Read more.
This study investigated the performance of four different fertigation scheduling methods in greenhouse-grown, drip-fertigated Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) cultivation. These methods were based on (1) the use of a timer (control), (2) accumulated radiation (AR), (3) estimated evapotranspiration (ET), and (4) measured soil moisture (SM), with fertilizer application proportional to the supplied water. These methods caused considerable variations in the amount of fertigation water (I), soil volumetric water content (θ), and bulk soil electrical conductivity, leading to variations in the harvested fresh weight (FW). The SM-based method maintained the target θ and achieved the highest irrigation water productivity (WP; the ratio of FW to ΣI), while the ET-based method led to insufficient I and FW loss. The AR-based method over-fertigated, but no FW loss was observed. Compared to the WP of the control, those of the SM-, ET-, and AR-based methods varied by +1%, −14%, and −57%, respectively. Different fertigation methods did not significantly affect leaf photosynthetic capacity, but under-fertigation caused a significant decline in stomatal conductance. Compared to the ET- and AR-based methods, the SM-based method seemed to have a lower risk of under-/over-fertigation because I in the SM-based method could be adjusted according to θ. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Production in Controlled Environment)
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14 pages, 13404 KiB  
Article
Resilient Response to Combined Heat and Drought Stress Conditions of a Tomato Germplasm Collection, Including Natural and Ethyl Methanesulfonate-Induced Variants
by Rocío Fonseca, Rosa Micol-Ponce, Carmen V. Ozuna, Laura Castañeda, Carmen Capel, Antonia Fernández-Lozano, Ana Ortiz-Atienza, Sandra Bretones, José M. Pérez-Jiménez, Abraham S. Quevedo-Colmena, Juan D. López-Fábregas, Teresa Barragán-Lozano, Ricardo Lebrón, Celia Faura, Juan Capel, Trinidad Angosto, Isabel Egea, Fernando J. Yuste-Lisbona and Rafael Lozano
Horticulturae 2024, 10(6), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060552 - 24 May 2024
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Abstract
Agricultural systems are currently facing significant issues, primarily due to population growth rates in the context of global climate change. Rising temperatures cause plant heat stress and impact crop yield, which in turn compromises global food production and safety. Climate change is also [...] Read more.
Agricultural systems are currently facing significant issues, primarily due to population growth rates in the context of global climate change. Rising temperatures cause plant heat stress and impact crop yield, which in turn compromises global food production and safety. Climate change is also having a significant impact on water availability around the world, and droughts are becoming more frequent and severe in many regions. The combined effect of both heat and drought stresses increases plant damage, resulting in reduced plant development and productivity loss. Therefore, developing heat–drought-tolerant crop varieties is crucial for enhancing yield under these challenging conditions. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), a major vegetable crop highly appreciated for its nutritional qualities, is particularly sensitive to extreme temperatures, which have a significant negative impact on tomato fruit setting and cause male gametophyte abortion. In this work, a classical genetic approach was employed to identify tomato genotypes showing a resilient response to combined heat and drought stress conditions. A phenotype screening of a natural germplasm collection and an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenized population resulted in the identification of a significant number of tomato lines tolerant to combined heat and drought conditions, specifically 161 EMS lines and 24 natural accessions as tolerant. In addition, TILLING and Eco-TILLING analyses were used as proof-of-concept to isolate new genetic variants of genes previously reported as key regulators of abiotic stress responses in different species. The identification of these variants holds the potential to provide suitable plant material for breeding programs focused on enhancing tomato resilience to adverse climate conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Production in Controlled Environment)
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18 pages, 2088 KiB  
Article
Effects of Light Intensity and Photoperiod on Morphological Development and Photosynthetic Characteristics of Coriander
by Fang Wang, Qi Gao, Guangsi Ji, Jingxuan Wang, Yifeng Ding and Sen Wang
Horticulturae 2024, 10(3), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10030215 - 24 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1145
Abstract
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is prized for its aroma and medicinal properties and is extensively employed in various cuisines. Light intensity and photoperiod greatly impact its phenological development. The application of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in facility cultivation systems enables precise control of [...] Read more.
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is prized for its aroma and medicinal properties and is extensively employed in various cuisines. Light intensity and photoperiod greatly impact its phenological development. The application of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in facility cultivation systems enables precise control of lighting conditions, leading to enhanced energy efficiency in coriander cultivation. This study investigated three levels of light intensity (133, 200, and 400 μmol·m−2·s−1) and three photoperiods (8L/16D, 16L/8D, and 24L) to comprehensively assess their effects on coriander’s morphological development, photosynthetic characteristics, and energy utilization efficiency. The objective was to identify a combination conducive to efficient and energy-saving coriander cultivation in PFALs. Results indicated that high light intensity (400 μmol·m−2·s−1) with continuous lighting (24L) reduces coriander’s photosynthetic capacity, while 24-h of continuous lighting can boost yield at the expense of energy efficiency. An 8-h photoperiod significantly decreases the yield compared to 16 h. Low light intensity inhibits plant development, indicating that 133 μmol·m−2·s−1 is suboptimal. For optimal efficiency and yield, a light intensity of 200 μmol·m−2·s−1 and a 16-h photoperiod are recommended in coriander PFAL cultivation. These findings advocate for the adoption of these specific conditions for the indoor cultivation of coriander within PFAL systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Production in Controlled Environment)
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