Optimizing product quality in soilless culture systems (SCS)

In the soilless culture system (SCS), several quality parameters of the produce may be modified, often in a favourable sense with respect to the traditional cultivation on soil, due to the better control of the environmental and technical factors. In this chapter, the main factors through which it is possible to influence and improve the quality profile of soilless horticultural produce are considered. These include the composition, temperature and management of the nutrient solution, the electrical conductivity, as well as the biofortification and harvested methods. The qualitative profile products from plants, grown in SCS is substantially comparable to that of the corresponding products from soil, or even better. The differences, if ascertained, seem mostly in favour of SCS, in particular for the parameters inherent the nutritional, organoleptic, and health and hygiene characteristics.