A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage Capacity
Indoor farming in plant factories with artificial lighting (PFAL) offers optimized growing conditions and higher water, light, and land surface use efficiencies compared to greenhouses or open field agriculture but faces challenges related to energy consumption. The objective of this work is to eval...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/744 |
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| author | Cédric Dresch Véronique Vidal Séverine Suchail Olivier Chevallier Huguette Sallanon Vincent Truffault Florence Charles |
| author_facet | Cédric Dresch Véronique Vidal Séverine Suchail Olivier Chevallier Huguette Sallanon Vincent Truffault Florence Charles |
| author_sort | Cédric Dresch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Indoor farming in plant factories with artificial lighting (PFAL) offers optimized growing conditions and higher water, light, and land surface use efficiencies compared to greenhouses or open field agriculture but faces challenges related to energy consumption. The objective of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of using a rotational cultivation system for indoor-grown lettuce production. We compare a rotational cultivation system to a horizontal control cultivation system in terms of yields, resource efficiency, quality at harvest, and postharvest storage capacity. No significant differences were observed in yields, water use efficiency, light use efficiency, or postharvest storage capacity between the systems. Energy and land surface use efficiencies were higher in the rotational cultivation system compared to the control and consistent with the literature. However, a slight trend toward lower fresh and dry weights throughout the cultivation period in the rotational system was noted, correlating with reduced net photosynthesis during the first two hours and at the end of the lighting period. This effect was attributed to decreased stomatal conductance and photosystem II efficiency. Furthermore, the rotational cultivation system modified the quality by modifying the global polyphenol profile of the lettuce compared to the control. Based on yields and efficiencies, we show the feasibility of using a rotational cultivation system for indoor lettuce production. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a5565c23e4794deaae06de097f61cf72 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj-art-a5565c23e4794deaae06de097f61cf722025-08-20T02:11:04ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-03-0115374410.3390/agronomy15030744A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage CapacityCédric Dresch0Véronique Vidal1Séverine Suchail2Olivier Chevallier3Huguette Sallanon4Vincent Truffault5Florence Charles6QualiSud UMR95, CIRAD, Montpellier Université, InstitutAgro, F-34000 Montpellier, FranceQualiSud UMR95, CIRAD, Montpellier Université, InstitutAgro, F-34000 Montpellier, FranceCampus Jean-Henri Fabre, Avignon Université, Pôle Agrosciences, 301 rue Baruch de Spinoza, F-84916 Avignon, FranceCampus Jean-Henri Fabre, Avignon Université, Pôle Agrosciences, 301 rue Baruch de Spinoza, F-84916 Avignon, FranceQualiSud UMR95, CIRAD, Montpellier Université, InstitutAgro, F-34000 Montpellier, FranceFutura Gaïa Technologies, Mas de Polvelière, Chemin du Pont des Îles, F-30230 Rodilhan, FranceQualiSud UMR95, CIRAD, Montpellier Université, InstitutAgro, F-34000 Montpellier, FranceIndoor farming in plant factories with artificial lighting (PFAL) offers optimized growing conditions and higher water, light, and land surface use efficiencies compared to greenhouses or open field agriculture but faces challenges related to energy consumption. The objective of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of using a rotational cultivation system for indoor-grown lettuce production. We compare a rotational cultivation system to a horizontal control cultivation system in terms of yields, resource efficiency, quality at harvest, and postharvest storage capacity. No significant differences were observed in yields, water use efficiency, light use efficiency, or postharvest storage capacity between the systems. Energy and land surface use efficiencies were higher in the rotational cultivation system compared to the control and consistent with the literature. However, a slight trend toward lower fresh and dry weights throughout the cultivation period in the rotational system was noted, correlating with reduced net photosynthesis during the first two hours and at the end of the lighting period. This effect was attributed to decreased stomatal conductance and photosystem II efficiency. Furthermore, the rotational cultivation system modified the quality by modifying the global polyphenol profile of the lettuce compared to the control. Based on yields and efficiencies, we show the feasibility of using a rotational cultivation system for indoor lettuce production.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/744controlled environment agricultureenergy use efficiencygrowthphotosynthesissecondary metabolitesgravity perception |
| spellingShingle | Cédric Dresch Véronique Vidal Séverine Suchail Olivier Chevallier Huguette Sallanon Vincent Truffault Florence Charles A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage Capacity Agronomy controlled environment agriculture energy use efficiency growth photosynthesis secondary metabolites gravity perception |
| title | A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage Capacity |
| title_full | A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage Capacity |
| title_fullStr | A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage Capacity |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage Capacity |
| title_short | A Rotational Cultivation System for Indoor-Grown Lettuce: Feasibility in Terms of Yields, Resource Efficiency, Quality, and Postharvest Storage Capacity |
| title_sort | rotational cultivation system for indoor grown lettuce feasibility in terms of yields resource efficiency quality and postharvest storage capacity |
| topic | controlled environment agriculture energy use efficiency growth photosynthesis secondary metabolites gravity perception |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/744 |
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