A meta-analysis: Food production and vegetable crop yields of hydroponics
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2023
Abstract
Hydroponics is a soilless farming method that can contribute to meeting the global food demand, improving food sustainability as well as ensuring food availability in a novel high efficiency yet low maintenance way. In this global meta-analysis, the crop yields of hydroponic cultivation were quantified and the differences in yields for distinct farming systems as in hydroponic vs. soil-based systems, farming orientations as in vertical vs. horizontal farming and environments as in controlled environment vs. open-air agriculture, were discussed. 499 observa-tions were extracted from 68 papers that discussed hydroponic crop yields. The most studied vegetable crops were ``Lettuce and chicory''. The greatest difference in crop productivity between hydroponics and soil-based agriculture was observed in ``Spinach,'' with yields of 2.7 kg m- 2 year � 1 for hydroponics compared to 16.35 kg m � 2 year �1 for soil-based agriculture. The result showed that the productivity of the growing systems varied between crop categories. The impact of the growing orientation was significant for ``Lettuce & chicory'' and ``Vegetables, fresh nes'', but there was no clear pattern indicating the best growing orientation overall. The crop yields of the controlled environment were significantly higher than the open-air setup; it had a significant effect on ``Anise, badian, fennel, coriander'', ``Cabbage & other brassicas'', ``Lettuce & chicory'' and ``Vegetables, fresh nes''. This meta-analysis helps in quantifying the globally relevant crop yields of hydroponic farming systems, seeks to provide more solid evidence of the crop yields for hydroponic agriculture and determines the better hydroponic growing environment.
Keywords
Hydroponics, Soil -based systems, Open-air agriculture, Controlled environment agriculture, Farming systems, Meta -analysis
Divisions
biomedengine
Publication Title
Scientia Horticulturae
Volume
321
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher Location
RADARWEG 29, 1043 NX AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS