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Horticulturae
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Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies
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Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 October 2025 | Viewed by 3929

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xiaotao Ding

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Interests: greenhouse; plant factory; soilless culture; artificial light; climate control; plant physiology
Prof. Dr. Liying Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dept. of Plant Science, School of Agro-Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minghang District, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: crop growth models; phenotypic acquisition and analysis; production management decisions system
Prof. Dr. Qingliang Niu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dept. of Plant Science, School of Agro-Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minghang District, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: soilless culture; hydroponics; nutrients; factory seedling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Controlled environment horticulture is a key solution to the challenges associated with the high-quality supply horticultural production and the increasing pressure of traditional agricultural cultivation due to climate change. A controlled environment includes facilities designed to provide an optimal environment for horticultural plants, which mainly includes indoor farms (or plant factories) and modern greenhouses, that allow for the precise control of light, temperature, humidity, CO2, and irrigation. Plants cultivated in these facilities include vegetables, fruits, flowers, medicinal species, ect.

The purpose of this Special Issue, titled “Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies” is to present innovative studies and techniques that have been successfully used in plant factories or modern greenhouses. These include the following: using LED lighting in efficient seedling and plant cultivation (exploring techniques and mechanisms on plant light quality, light intensity, light period, etc.), energy-saving technologies (the specialized selection of certain varieties; highly efficient light, temperature, humidity, CO2, and irrigation control technologies, etc.), technologies for growing high-quality fruit and vegetables (nutrient solutions, far-red and ultraviolet light, substrates, grafting, hormones, etc.), plant growth models, and any other method that has improved the efficiency and sustainability of controlled environment horticultural crops for the production of high-quality produce and high yields. Original studies on these physiology and cultivation techniques or review papers on controlled environments are welcome for submission. We look forward to receiving your manuscripts to share these achievements with the scientific community.

Prof. Dr. Xiaotao Ding
Prof. Dr. Liying Chang
Prof. Dr. Qingliang Niu
Guest Editors

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

  • artificial light
  • LED lighting
  • precision agriculture
  • climate control
  • hydroponics
  • indoor farming
  • vegetables
  • flowers
  • fruits
  • nutrients
  • plant factory
  • soilless culture
  • modern greenhouse
  • product quality
  • phenotypic acquisition and analysis
  • artificial intelligence
  • crop growth models
  • production management decisions system

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5356 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Growth and Quality of Winter Watermelon Using LED Supplementary Lighting
by Md Mukhtar Hossain, Yuki Shibasaki and Fumiyuki Goto
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030262 - 1 Mar 2025
Viewed by 783
Abstract
The effect of LED supplementary lighting at various intensities on winter-grown watermelon plants was evaluated to identify the optimal level for enhancing growth, yield, and quality. The plants were exposed to three lighting conditions: natural daylight (control) and LED supplementary lighting at 900 [...] Read more.
The effect of LED supplementary lighting at various intensities on winter-grown watermelon plants was evaluated to identify the optimal level for enhancing growth, yield, and quality. The plants were exposed to three lighting conditions: natural daylight (control) and LED supplementary lighting at 900 and 1500 µmol/m2/s, from 17:00 to 21:00. Supplemented LED lighting enhanced chlorophyll content, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the leaves of fruit set region, leading to an increase in photosynthesis rate throughout the growing period and supporting consistent plant growth. The results showed that LED900 µmol/m2/s significantly boosted the number of female flowers, fruit weight, size, and flesh thickness. Ultimately, the yield per plant increased by 31% under the LED at 900 µmol/m2/s and by 14% under the LED at 1500 µmol/m2/s compared to the control. Furthermore, high sugar and low acid contents were detected in the LED-treated fruits. These results indicate that fruits bore under LED lighting ripened faster than those in the control. In conclusion, supplemental LED lighting markedly contributes to watermelon production during winter, with a 900 µmol/m2/s LED light intensity outperforming 1500 µmol/m2/s in promoting plant growth and boosting the yield and quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies)
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16 pages, 5810 KiB  
Article
CsWRKY46 Is Involved in the Regulation of Cucumber Salt Stress by Regulating Abscisic Acid and Modulating Cellular Reactive Oxygen Species
by Xue Bai, Pengyu Liu, Fangyi Zhu, Chong Zhang, Hongbo Pang and Ying Zhang
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030251 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 280
Abstract
Soil salinity significantly restricts the growth, development, and productivity of vegetables. Cucumber, a crucial greenhouse vegetable, is helpful for understanding how plants perceive, signal, and respond to salt stress. The WRKY family plays an important role in regulating stress responses. This study utilized [...] Read more.
Soil salinity significantly restricts the growth, development, and productivity of vegetables. Cucumber, a crucial greenhouse vegetable, is helpful for understanding how plants perceive, signal, and respond to salt stress. The WRKY family plays an important role in regulating stress responses. This study utilized the cucumber variety ‘Zhongnong 26’ to investigate the effects of salt stress on morphological changes, physiological and biochemical indices, and molecular regulations. CsWRKY46 was up-regulated in both salt stress and ABA response conditions in the leaves, roots, and fruits of cucumber. Transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing CsWRKY46 (CsWRK46-OE1 and CsWRK46-OE5) showed higher proline accumulation and reduced electrolyte leakage compared to the wild type (WT). These overexpression lines demonstrated higher peroxidase (POD) and glutathione reductase (GR) activity, along with lower ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) activity. qRT-PCR analysis revealed elevated expression levels of ABI5 and ABF4 in CsWRKY46-OE lines compared to the WT. Additionally, the overexpression of CsWRKY46 increased the expression of stress-inducible genes such as PSCS1, PY19, and RD19. These findings suggest that CsWRKY46 enhances plant tolerance to salt stress, potentially through ABA regulation and modulation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and provide a foundation for the identification of new sources of salt stress tolerance for breeding programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies)
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17 pages, 1339 KiB  
Article
The Harnessing of Controlled Environment Agriculture Technologies for Phytochemical and Mineral Element Enrichment in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
by Giedrė Samuolienė, Audrius Pukalskas, Ieva Gudžinskaitė and Akvilė Viršilė
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030229 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 339
Abstract
Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilitates the management of plant growth and development through innovative horticultural technologies. Specific features of obligatory halophytes require diverse cultivation conditions compared to leafy vegetables grown in CEA. An ice plant was grown in walk-in chambers, and the impact [...] Read more.
Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilitates the management of plant growth and development through innovative horticultural technologies. Specific features of obligatory halophytes require diverse cultivation conditions compared to leafy vegetables grown in CEA. An ice plant was grown in walk-in chambers, and the impact of the following aspects was evaluated: (I) photosynthetically active photon flux density (PPFD) of 150, 200, 250, 300 µmol m−2 s−1; (II) spectral composition of red (R), blue (B), RB, and RBFR (far-red); (III) 12 h, 16 h, and 24 h photoperiod; (IV) hydroponic solution pH at 5.0–5.5, 5.5–6.0, and 6.0–6.5; and (V) hydroponic solution salinity concentrations at 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM L−1 NaCl. Other cultivation parameters were maintained constant. The results demonstrate that the ice plant was not sensitive to lighting duration at a constant daily light quantity. However, to enhance the phytochemical and mineral content per biomass, it is suggested that 250 µmol m−2 s−1 be used. While growth remains unaffected, pH levels 6.0–6.5 lead to an increased accumulation of fructose, citric, malic, and fumaric acids. In contrast, pH levels of 5.0–5.5 enhance the accumulation of mineral elements. Nutrient solution salinity of 50 mM NaCl is potentially optimum for ice plant growth. Further research is needed to evaluate the complex effect of environmental conditions for halophytes cultivation in CEA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies)
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12 pages, 3477 KiB  
Article
Light Modulation of Photosynthate Accumulation in Microgreens Grown in a Controlled Environment During Storage
by Ieva Gudžinskaitė, Kristina Laužikė, Audrius Pukalskas and Giedrė Samuoliene
Horticulturae 2025, 11(2), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020176 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 448
Abstract
Light intensity and spectral composition are the main parameters that may be modulated to further affect plant nutritional value and shelf life. The current study aimed to assess how variations in spectral composition and light intensity affect sugar accumulation during the storage of [...] Read more.
Light intensity and spectral composition are the main parameters that may be modulated to further affect plant nutritional value and shelf life. The current study aimed to assess how variations in spectral composition and light intensity affect sugar accumulation during the storage of two popular microgreens cultivated in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. Thus, in this study, amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) and mustard (Brassica juncea) microgreens were grown in a greenhouse at 17/20 ± 3 °C and a 16 h photoperiod was maintained. (I) Four LED light intensities were set: 100, 150, 200, and 250 µmol m−2 s−1 while using 4000 K white LED lighting. (II) Maintaining 250 µmol m−2 s−1 the effect of spectrac composition: B75.6%:R24.2%:W0.02%/R88.9%:B11.1%/and R77.6%:W9.9%:B3.5% was evaluated. After 10 days from germination, microgreens were harvested and stored in the dark or under white LED light at +4 °C. Samples were collected on D0, D1, D3, and D5 days of postharvest storage. The results revealed that a wide spectrum of 250 µmol m−2 s−1 PPFD and R88.9%:B11.1% growing conditions produced the highest sugar content, achieving a balance between increased sugar accumulation and reduced deterioration during storage, ultimately extending shelf life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies)
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17 pages, 1819 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Greenhouse Cucumber Fertigation Through Grafting: Improving Yield, Bioactive Compounds, and Antioxidant Activity
by Đorđe Vojnović, Ivana Maksimović, Gabrijela Koprivica, Aleksandra Tepić Horecki, Anita Milić, Boris Adamović, Zdravko Šumić and Žarko Ilin
Horticulturae 2024, 10(11), 1135; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111135 - 24 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1417
Abstract
Consumers prefer cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) with high antioxidant content, which is often at odds with farmers’ goals of maximizing yield. Therefore, this study aims to explore new methods for fertigation and grafting to optimize the yield and quality of cucumbers. In [...] Read more.
Consumers prefer cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) with high antioxidant content, which is often at odds with farmers’ goals of maximizing yield. Therefore, this study aims to explore new methods for fertigation and grafting to optimize the yield and quality of cucumbers. In a greenhouse experiment, we tested fertigation with three different nutrient solutions: the standard as a control (CF) and two new formulations (NF1 and NF2). We also examined grafting in three variants: non-grafted (CG), grafting onto Cucurbita moschata × Cucurbita moschata (G1), and grafting onto Lagenaria siceraria (G2). Our results showed that the highest increase in phenolic content in the flesh of cucumber was observed in the NF2 × G1 treatment (↑ 22.4%). In contrast, grafting and the new fertigation methods generally reduced the phenolic content in the peel. Grafting with G1 significantly increased flavonoid content in the flesh (↑ 59.4% and ↑ 77.3%) but significantly decreased it in the peel. The NF2 × G1 treatment achieved the most significant increases in antioxidant activity indicators, DPPH (↑ 25.9%) and FRAP (↑ 39.4%). For farmers seeking to achieve high yields of greenhouse cucumbers, the combination of NF1 × G1 is recommended, as it resulted in the highest yield increase (↑ 45.3%). Consumers are advised to eat cucumbers with the peel, as this study found higher levels of antioxidant compounds in the peel compared to the flesh. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlled Environment Horticulture: Indoor Farming and Novel Cultivation Technologies)
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