Do soilless culture systems have an influence on product quality of vegetables?

Abstract

In the horticulture industry, the focus has traditionally been on yield. However, consumers’ interest worldwide in the quality of horticultural products has increased in the recent past and will become the driving force in the future. Soilless culture systems (SCSs), the most intensive production method in today’s horticulture industry, are based on environmentally friendly technology, which can result in higher yields, even in areas with adverse growing conditions. However, using SCSs does not automatically result in the production of high-quality vegetables. Numerous studies confirm that a SCS enables growers to produce vegetables without quality losses compared to soil cultivation. An adaptation of cultural management to the specific cultural system, as well as crop demand, can further result in the improvement of the quality of horticultural products.