Vertical vegetable growing: creating tomato varieties for multi-tiered hydroponic installations

Abstract

The relevance of vertical vegetable growing is due to the need to ensure an uninterrupted supply of food and reduce the cost of food production in terms of moving the majority of the population of the Earth into urban space. The market of vertical vegetable growing can be characterized as capacious and fast-growing. In the Russian Federation, this market is still developing. The main vegetable crops are not represented in it. The purpose of the study was to create tomato varieties for the vertical vegetable growing (multi-tiered hydroponic plants). For this purpose, a new approach to the breeding process was necessary, in which the variety would be considered as an element of the technological chain. A collection of 692 tomato samples served as our research material. Research methods included the following: creating a model of a new form of tomato for multi-tiered hydroponic structures; analyzing the genetic basis of the characteristic “short stature” in Solanum lycopersicum L.; conducting an individual selection from sporophyte variety populations; testing selected samples in a multi-tiered narrow-rack hydroponics installation; selecting the most large-fruited and productive samples; transferring new varieties to the State Variety Testing (GSI), and analyzing the economic efficiency of cultivating new varieties on multi-tiered hydroponic installation. As a result, in the Federal Scientific Center for Vegetable Growing, the first varieties of tomato vertical vegetables such as “Natasha” (Patent of the Russian Federation No. 9060) and “Timosha” (Patent of the Russian Federation No. 9059) were obtained. Our analysis of the economic efficiency of tomato cultivation on multi-tiered narrow-rack hydroponics demonstrated the convincing advantages of such a method of tomato cultivation as compared to the traditional cultivation method.

A Review of the Most Common and Economically Important Diseases That Undermine the Cultivation of Tomato Crop in the Mediterranean Basin

“…This may be achieved by the use of automated techniques and through the application of nutrient and water sensors in a soil cultural system or in hydroponics, aeroponics, or aquaponics soilless system [343,344]. Moreover, a selection of new "short-stature" tomato cultivars adapted for the growth in a multi-tiered, narrow-rack, indoor conditions [345] or the creation of small tomatoes suitable for vertical farming using the CRISPR-Cas technology are new inputs that may satisfy the requirements of advanced and sustainable tomato cultivation. Since tomato plants grow mostly outdoors in the Mediterranean region (e.g., open field vs. protected cultivation 5.7/0.5 million tonnes in Italy, 3.3/1.6 million tonnes in Spain) [342], the main impact of climate change on tomato is still to be considered directly in open field.…”

Hydroponics as an advanced vegetable production technique: an overview

“…The commonly cultivated vegetables under the hydroponic system include spinach, lettuce, and kale, which grow well in hydroponic culture owing to their shallow root systems and quick growth cycle (Jones, 2014). Moreover, tomatoes (Balashova et al, 2019), cucumbers, peppers, and strawberries also can be grown effectively in hydroponic culture (Jones, 2014). Vegetable production through a hydroponic system depends on delivering the essential nutrients to roots directly via nutrient solution.…”

Comprehensive Review of Aquaponic, Hydroponic, and Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

“…Compared to conventional tomato cultivation, evaluating the economic effectiveness of multi-tiered narrow-rack hydroponics showed inherent advantages (Balashova et al 2019). Askari-Khorasgani and Pessarakli (2020a) observed that in the vermin hydroponic system, the most important thing is in the vermiponic units, the most effective tomato (S. lycopersicum) cultural customs provide the best economical and environmentally friendly method of horticultural crops.…”