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Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2023) | Viewed by 28423

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Dr. Antonio Pannico

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Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
Interests: plant secondary metabolites; plants bioactive compounds; horticultural crops; protected cultivation; hydroponics; microgreens; plant biostimulants; eustress; biofortification; space farming; hydrological characterization of plant substrates; bioregenerative life support systems in space (BLSSs); cultivation in fully closed growth chambers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticultural crop production is challenged by projections of global population growth, climate change, and the scarcity of natural resources of water and agricultural land. Technological advances in closed hydroponic growing systems based on recirculating nutrient solutions has maximized productivity per unit area, especially in terms of water and nutrient use efficiency. System technology affects not only plant growth and yield, but also overall crop quality. Demand for high-quality foods is increasing, driven by society’s growing interest in fresh products of high organoleptic, nutritional, and functional quality. It is well known that key secondary metabolites, which form the basis of functional quality in horticultural products, can be modulated by the appropriate management of soilless systems. Exposure to biotic and abiotic stresses underlies the superior nutritional quality often observed in organically grown products, and likewise, soilless systems can facilitate the precise application of positive stress (eustress), such as moderate salinity or nutritional stress, through the precise management of nutrient solution concentration and composition. Hydroponic systems are also effectively tailored to the use of biostimulants or even to be instrumental in the biofortification of edible portions of plants with micronutrients essential to human health. Soilless cultivation can also be used in more sophisticated plant production systems, such as in urban farming including vertical gardens, green roofs and rain gardens, or in modern bioregenerative life support systems (BLSSs) for fresh food production in space colonies or extreme environments. The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish high-quality research articles addressing the latest developments in cultivating horticultural crops in soilless systems.

Dr. Antonio Pannico
Guest Editor

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Keywords

horticultural crops
soilless systems
hydroponics and aquaponics
urban farming
space farming
novel synthetic and organic growing medium
plant secondary metabolites
plant bioactive compounds
biofortification
plant biostimulants
nutrient solution
waste management
eustress
water and nutrient use efficiency

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 586 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modulation of Morpho-Physiological and Metabolic Profiles of Lettuce Subjected to Salt Stress and Treated with Two Vegetal-Derived Biostimulants

by Francesco Cristofano, Christophe El-Nakhel, Giuseppe Colla, Mariateresa Cardarelli, Youry Pii, Luigi Lucini and Youssef Rouphael

Plants 2023, 12(4), 709; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040709 - 6 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1668

Abstract

Salinity in water and soil is a critical issue for food production. Using biostimulants provides an effective strategy to protect crops from salinity-derived yield losses. The research supports the effectiveness of protein hydrolysate (PH) biostimulants based on their source material. A greenhouse experiment was performed on lettuce plants under control (0 mM NaCl) and high salinity conditions (30 mM NaCl) using the Trainer (T) and Vegamin (V) PH biostimulants. The recorded data included yield parameters, mineral contents, auxiliary pigments, and polyphenolics. The plant sample material was further analyzed to uncover the unique metabolomic trace of the two biostimulants. The results showed an increased yield (8.9/4.6%, T/V) and higher photosynthetic performance (14%) compared to control and salinity treatments. Increased yield in salinity condition by T compared to V was deemed significant due to the positive modulation in stress-protecting molecules having an oxidative stress relief effect such as lutein (39.9% 0 × T vs. 30 × V), β-carotene (23.4% vs. V overall), and flavonoids (27.7% vs. V). The effects of PH biostimulants on the physio-chemical and metabolic performance of lettuce plants are formulation dependent. However, they increased plant growth under stress conditions, which can prove profitable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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14 pages, 3000 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Productive, Morpho-Physiological, and Postharvest Performance of Six Basil Types Grown in a Floating Raft System: A Comparative Study

by Michele Ciriello, Valerio Cirillo, Luigi Formisano, Christophe El-Nakhel, Antonio Pannico, Stefania De Pascale and Youssef Rouphael

Plants 2023, 12(3), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030486 - 20 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1331

Abstract

Basil (Ocimum sp.) is one of the world’s most famous culinary fresh herbs, characterized by rapid growth that makes it particularly suitable for hydroponic cultivation. This study aimed to evaluate the adaptability of six types of basil to a closed-loop hydroponic system (floating raft system) and their post-harvest performance. Twenty-three days after transplantation, productivity, morpho-physiological performance, and mineral profile (by ion chromatography) were evaluated. At 3, 6, and 9 days after harvest, the loss of water from the from leaves stored at 10 °C in the dark was evaluated. Although the total fresh production of Thai, Mexican, and Genovese did not differ significantly, the latter provided a higher fresh leaf weight (16.52 g of plant⁻¹) despite a lower leaf number (30.06 n. of plant⁻¹). Nine days after harvest, Thai and Mexican showed the lowest water loss. Although Mexican Purple had the lowest net CO₂ assimilation, it accumulated the highest concentration of ascorbic acid (909.41 mg 100 g fw⁻¹). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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25 pages, 1008 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Can Lunar and Martian Soils Support Food Plant Production? Effects of Horse/Swine Monogastric Manure Fertilisation on Regolith Simulants Enzymatic Activity, Nutrient Bioavailability, and Lettuce Growth

by Antonio G. Caporale, Mariana Amato, Luigi G. Duri, Rocco Bochicchio, Stefania De Pascale, Giuseppe Di Rauso Simeone, Mario Palladino, Antonio Pannico, Maria A. Rao, Youssef Rouphael and Paola Adamo

Plants 2022, 11(23), 3345; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11233345 - 2 Dec 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2953

Abstract

To make feasible the crewed missions to the Moon or Mars, space research is focusing on the development of bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) designed to produce food crops based on in situ resource utilisation (ISRU), allowing to reduce terrestrial input and to recycle organic wastes. In this regard, a major question concerns the suitability of native regoliths for plant growth and how their agronomic performance is affected by additions of organic matter from crew waste. We tested plant growth substrates consisting of MMS-1 (Mars) or LHS-1 (Lunar) simulants mixed with a commercial horse/swine monogastric manure (i.e., an analogue of crew excreta and crop residues) at varying rates (100:0, 90:10, 70:30, 50:50, w/w). Specifically, we measured: (i) lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cultivar ‘Grand Rapids’) growth (at 30 days in open gas exchange climate chamber with no fertilisation), plant physiology, and nutrient uptake; as well as (ii) microbial biomass C and N, enzymatic activity, and nutrient bioavailability in the simulant/manure mixtures after plant growth. We discussed mechanisms of different plant yield, architecture, and physiology as a function of chemical, physico-hydraulic, and biological properties of different substrates. A better agronomic performance, in terms of plant growth and optically measured chlorophyll content, nutrient availability, and enzymatic activity, was provided by substrates containing MMS-1, in comparison to LHS-1-based ones, despite a lower volume of readily available water (likely due to the high-frequency low-volume irrigation strategy applied in our experiment and foreseen in space settings). Other physical and chemical properties, along with a different bioavailability of essential nutrients for plants and rhizosphere biota, alkalinity, and release of promptly bioavailable Na from substrates, were identified as the factors leading to the better ranking of MMS-1 in plant above and below-ground mass and physiology. Pure Mars (MMS-1) and Lunar (LHS-1) simulants were able to sustain plant growth even in absence of fertilisation, but the amendment with the monogastric manure significantly improved above- and below-ground plant biomass; moreover, the maximum lettuce leaf production, across combinations of simulants and amendment rates, was obtained in treatments resulting in a finer root system. Increasing rates of monogastric manure stimulated the growth of microbial biomass and enzymatic activities, such as dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphomonoesterase, which, in turn, fostered nutrient bioavailability. Consequently, nutrient uptake and translocation into lettuce leaves were enhanced with manure supply, with positive outcomes in the nutritional value of edible biomass for space crews. The best crop growth response was achieved with the 70:30 simulant/manure mixture due to good availability of nutrients and water compared to low amendment rates, and better-saturated hydraulic conductivity compared to high organic matter application. A 70:30 simulant/manure mixture is also a more sustainable option than a 50:50 mixture for a BLSS developed on ISRU strategy. Matching crop growth performance and (bio)chemical, mineralogical, and physico-hydraulic characteristics of possible plant growth media for space farming allows a better understanding of the processes and dynamics occurring in the experimental substrate/plant system, potentially suitable for an extra-terrestrial BLSS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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15 pages, 2110 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Smart Glass Film Reduced Ascorbic Acid in Red and Orange Capsicum Fruit Cultivars without Impacting Shelf Life

by Xin He, Sachin G. Chavan, Ziad Hamoui, Chelsea Maier, Oula Ghannoum, Zhong-Hua Chen, David T. Tissue and Christopher I. Cazzonelli

Plants 2022, 11(7), 985; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11070985 - 4 Apr 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2335

Abstract

Smart Glass Film (SGF) is a glasshouse covering material designed to permit 80% transmission of photosynthetically active light and block heat-generating solar energy. SGF can reduce crop water and nutrient consumption and improve glasshouse energy use efficiency yet can reduce crop yield. The effect of SGF on the postharvest shelf life of fruits remains unknown. Two capsicum varieties, Red (Gina) and Orange (O06614), were cultivated within a glasshouse covered in SGF to assess fruit quality and shelf life during the winter season. SGF reduced cuticle thickness in the Red cultivar (5%) and decreased ascorbic acid in both cultivars (9–14%) without altering the overall morphology of the mature fruits. The ratio of total soluble solids (TSSs) to titratable acidity (TA) was significantly higher in Red (29%) and Orange (89%) cultivars grown under SGF. The Red fruits had a thicker cuticle that reduced water loss and extended shelf life when compared to the Orange fruits, yet neither water loss nor firmness were impacted by SGF. Reducing the storage temperature to 2 °C and increasing relative humidity to 90% extended the shelf life in both cultivars without evidence of chilling injury. In summary, SGF had minimal impact on fruit development and postharvest traits and did not compromise the shelf life of mature fruits. SGF provides a promising technology to block heat-generating solar radiation energy without affecting fruit ripening and marketable quality of capsicum fruits grown during the winter season. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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15 pages, 2157 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Untargeted Phenolic Profiling and Functional Insights of the Aerial Parts and Bulbs of Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn

by Leilei Zhang, Gokhan Zengin, Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally, Evren Yıldıztugay, Sharmeen Jugreet, Jesus Simal-Gandara, Youssef Rouphael, Antonio Pannico and Luigi Lucini

Plants 2022, 11(5), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11050600 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1943

Abstract

Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn (squill), belonging to the Asparagaceae family, is acknowledged as a medicinally valuable species from the Drimia genera. In this study, water, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts of D. maritima aerial parts and bulbs were investigated for their polyphenols profile and evaluated for their antioxidant and enzyme inhibition properties. Phenolics were profiled through an untargeted metabolomics approach using an ultra-high pressure liquid chromatograph coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS). This analysis revealed an enrichment of low molecular weight phenolics and flavonoids in the aerial parts of D. maritima, while lignans mainly characterized bulb extracts. Antioxidant capacity was investigated by different assays, including phosphomolybdenum assays, radical scavenging (DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; ABTS: 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), as well as reducing ability (CUPRAC: cupric reducing antioxidant capacity; FRAP: ferric reducing antioxidant power), and metal chelating. In radical scavenging and reducing power assays, the water extract of aerial parts exhibited the strongest ability (DPPH: 36.99 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g; ABTS: 85.96 mg TE/g; CUPRAC: 87.37 mg TE/g; FRAP: 55.43 mg TE/g). In general, the ethyl acetate extracts from aerial parts and bulbs provided the weakest antioxidant capacity. Concerning enzyme inhibitory activities, the water extracts of the bulb were poorly active, while the ethyl acetate extracts from both plant portions displayed the best α-amylase inhibitory abilities. The best acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) abilities were recorded by ethyl acetate extract of aerial parts (2.36 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g) and bulbs (5.10 mg GALAE/g), respectively. Overall, these results support the medicinal aptitude of D. maritima and its possible use as a natural source of antioxidants and enzyme inhibitors with functional potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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19 pages, 1776 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Patterns of Male and Female Flowers in Flowering Stage May Not Be Optimal Resource Allocation for Fruit and Seed Growth

by Lei Gao, Guozhu Yu, Fangyu Hu, Zhiqi Li, Weihua Li and Changlian Peng

Plants 2021, 10(12), 2819; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10122819 - 20 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4014

Abstract

Changes in the proportions of male and female flowers in monoecious plants in response to external environmental conditions are directly related to the reproductive fitness of plants. The monoecious cucumber (Cucumber sativus) plant was used in this study to assess the responses of sex differentiation and the breeding process to nutrient supply and the degree of artificial pollination using pollen solutions of different concentrations. We found that the nutrient supply significantly improved the number of female flowers, while pollination treatments did not obviously increase the number of male flowers. Continuous pollination changed the number of female flowers especially in the later stage of the pollination experiment. Therefore, pollination changed the ratio of male and female flowers in the flowering stage of cucumber. Pollination treatment affected the fruit growth, seed set, and fruit yield. The number of fruit, fruit set percentage, and total seeds per plant did not increase with the pollination level, but individual fruit weight and seed number in one fruit did increase. The differentiation of male and female flowers in the flowering stage of cucumber is a response to nutrient and pollination resources, but this response is not the optimal resource allocation for subsequent fruit development and seed maturity, which suggests that the response of plants to external environment resources is short-term and direct. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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14 pages, 2718 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect on Chemical and Physical Properties of Soil Each Peat Moss, Elemental Sulfur, and Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria

by So-Young Lee, Eun-Gyeong Kim, Jae-Ryoung Park, Young-Hyun Ryu, Won Moon, Gyu-Hwan Park, Mohammad Ubaidillah, Su-Noh Ryu and Kyung-Min Kim

Plants 2021, 10(9), 1901; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10091901 - 14 Sep 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3900

Abstract

Peat moss is an organic substance corroded by sphagnum moss and has a pH of 3.0–4.0. Elemental sulfur is sulfated and oxidized by the action of bacteria to become sulfuric acid. These biological factors can alter the soil environment. Blueberries require soil with a pH of 4.5–5.2 and high organic matter content. In this experiment, we investigated whether different treatment rates of peat moss, elemental sulfur, and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria affect changes in soil pH, physicochemical properties, and electrical conductivity. We detected strong changes in soil pH as a reaction to the supply of peat moss, elemental sulfur, and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The pH of the soil when peat moss and elemental sulfur each were supplied was reduced. In addition, the pH decreased faster when elemental sulfur and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were supplied together than elemental sulfur alone, satisfying an acidic soil environment suitable for blueberry cultivation. In this experiment, it is shown that peat moss, elemental sulfur, and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria are suitable for lowering soil pH. It was demonstrated that when elemental sulfur and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were treated together, the pH decreased faster than when treated with peat moss. It could be economically beneficial to farmers to use elemental sulfur and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, which are cheaper than peat moss, to reduce the pH of the soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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12 pages, 1590 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effect of Nutrient Solution Flow Rate on Hydroponic Plant Growth and Root Morphology

by Bateer Baiyin, Kotaro Tagawa, Mina Yamada, Xinyan Wang, Satoshi Yamada, Yang Shao, Ping An, Sadahiro Yamamoto and Yasuomi Ibaraki

Plants 2021, 10(9), 1840; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10091840 - 5 Sep 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6202

Abstract

Crop production under hydroponic environments has many advantages, yet the effects of solution flow rate on plant growth remain unclear. We conducted a hydroponic cultivation study using different flow rates under light-emitting diode lighting to investigate plant growth, nutrient uptake, and root morphology under different flow rates. Swiss chard plants were grown hydroponically under four nutrient solution flow rates (2 L/min, 4 L/min, 6 L/min, and 8 L/min). After 21 days, harvested plants were analyzed for root and shoot fresh weight, root and shoot dry weight, root morphology, and root cellulose and hemicellulose content. We found that suitable flow rates, acting as a eustress, gave the roots appropriate mechanical stimulation to promote root growth, absorb more nutrients, and increase overall plant growth. Conversely, excess flow rates acted as a distress that caused the roots to become compact and inhibited root surface area and root growth. Excess flow rate thereby resulted in a lower root surface area that translated to reduced nutrient ion absorption and poorer plant growth compared with plans cultured under a suitable flow rate. Our results indicate that regulating flow rate can regulate plant thigmomorphogenesis and nutrient uptake, ultimately affecting hydroponic crop quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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14 pages, 1347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Combination of Mild Salinity Conditions and Exogenously Applied Phenolics Modulates Functional Traits in Lettuce

by Leilei Zhang, Erika Martinelli, Biancamaria Senizza, Begoña Miras-Moreno, Evren Yildiztugay, Busra Arikan, Fevzi Elbasan, Gunes Ak, Melike Balci, Gokhan Zengin, Youssef Rouphael and Luigi Lucini

Plants 2021, 10(7), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10071457 - 16 Jul 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2567

Abstract

The quest for sustainable strategies aimed at increasing the bioactive properties of plant-based foods has grown quickly. In this work, we investigated the impact of exogenously applied phenolics, i.e., chlorogenic acid (CGA), hesperidin (HES), and their combinations (HES + CGA), on Lactuca sativa L. grown under normal- and mild-salinity conditions. To this aim, the phenolic profile, antioxidant properties, and enzyme inhibitory activity were determined. The untargeted metabolomics profiling revealed that lettuce treated with CGA under non-stressed conditions exhibited the highest total phenolic content (35.98 mg Eq./g). Lettuce samples grown under salt stress showed lower phenolic contents, except for lettuce treated with HES or HES + CGA, when comparing the same treatment between the two conditions. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity was investigated through DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,20-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)), and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays, coupled with metal-chelating activity and phosphomolybdenum capacity. An exciting increase in radical scavenging capacity was observed in lettuce treated with exogenous phenolics, in both stress and non-stress conditions. The inhibitory activity of the samples was evaluated against target health-related enzymes, namely cholinesterases (acetylcholinesterase; AChE; butyryl cholinesterase; BChE), tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase. Lettuce treated with HES + CGA under non-stress conditions exhibited the strongest inhibition against AChE and BChE, while the same treatment under salinity conditions resulted in the highest inhibition capacity against α-amylase. Additionally, CGA under non-stress conditions exhibited the best inhibitory effect against tyrosinase. All the functional traits investigated were significantly modulated by exogenous phenolics, salinity, and their combination. In more detail, flavonoids, lignans, and stilbenes were the most affected phenolics, whereas glycosidase enzymes and tyrosinase activity were the most affected among enzyme assays. In conclusion, the exogenous application of phenolics to lettuce represents an effective and green strategy to effectively modulate the phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and enzyme inhibitory effects in lettuce, deserving future application to produce functional plant-based foods in a sustainable way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving the Performance, Resilience and Quality of Horticultural Crops in Controlled Environments)

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