Improving the Fertigation of Soilless Urban Vertical Agriculture Through the Combination of Struvite and Rhizobia Inoculation in Phaseolus vulgaris

Systematic review on the effects of wastewater chemical composition on crop yield under fertigation practices

The escalating global demand for freshwater resources poses significant challenges to sustainable agricultural practices. This systematic review examines the influence of inorganic ions' concentration in wastewater on crop yields under fertigation, with a particular focus on compliance with the recommendations of FAO water quality standards. The review reveals that key nutrients, such as nitrates (NO₃-) and phosphates (PO₄3-), largely meet established thresholds, while sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) frequently exceed permissible levels, threatening crop productivity, especially in salinity-sensitive species. Additionally, the study explores the effects of nutrient variability on crop performance across different soil types and cultivation environments. Statistical analyses were performed to assess chemical composition and their correlation with agricultural yields. The findings emphasize the critical need to adapt fertigation practices to the specific characteristics of soil and environmental conditions to optimize the benefits of wastewater reuse.

Recycling nutrients from organic waste for growing higher plants in the Micro Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) loop during long-term space missions

Space agencies are developing Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) in view of upcoming long-term crewed space missions. Most of these BLSS plan to include various crops to produce different types of foods, clean water, and O2 while capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. However, growing these plants will require the appropriate addition of nutrients in forms that are available. As shipping fertilizers from Earth would be too costly, it will be necessary to use waste-derived nutrients. Using the example of the MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) loop of the European Space Agency, this paper reviews what should be considered so that nutrients recycled from waste streams could be used by plants grown in a hydroponic system. Whereas substantial research has been conducted on nitrogen and phosphorus recovery from human urine, much work remains to be done on recovering nutrients from other liquid and solid organic waste. It is essential to continue to study ways to efficiently remove sodium and chloride from urine and other organic waste to prevent the spread of these elements to the rest of the MELiSSA loop. A full nitrogen balance at habitat level will have to be achieved; on one hand, sufficient N2 will be needed to maintain atmospheric pressure at a proper level and on the other, enough mineral nitrogen will have to be provided to the plants to ensure biomass production. From a plant nutrition point of view, we will need to evaluate whether the flux of nutrients reaching the hydroponic system will enable the production of nutrient solutions able to sustain a wide variety of crops. We will also have to assess the nutrient use efficiency of these crops and how that efficiency might be increased. Techniques and sensors will have to be developed to grow the plants, considering low levels or the total absence of gravity, the limited volume available to plant growth systems, variations in plant needs, the recycling of nutrient solutions, and eventually the ultimate disposal of waste that can no longer be used.

Hydroponic Common-Bean Performance under Reduced N-Supply Level and Rhizobia Application

This study aims to explore the possibility of a reduced application of inorganic nitrogen (N) fertiliser on the yield, yield qualities, and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) of the hydroponic common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), without compromising plant performance, by utilizing the inherent ability of this plant to symbiotically fix N₂. Until the flowering stage, plants were supplied with a nutrient solution containing N-concentrations of either a, 100%, conventional standard-practice, 13.8 mM; b, 75% of the standard, 10.35 mM; or c, 50% of the standard, 6.9 mM. During the subsequent reproductive stage, inorganic-N treatments b and c were decreased to 25% of the standard, and the standard (100% level) N-application was not altered. The three different inorganic-N supply treatments were combined with two different rhizobia strains, and a control (no-inoculation) treatment, in a two-factorial experiment. The rhizobia strains applied were either the indigenous strain Rhizobium sophoriradicis PVTN21 or the commercially supplied Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899. Results showed that the 50-25% mineral-N application regime led to significant increases in nodulation, BNF, and fresh-pod yield, compared to the other treatment, with a reduced inorganic-N supply. On the other hand, the 75-25% mineral-N regime applied during the vegetative stage restricted nodulation and BNF, thus incurring significant yield losses. Both rhizobia strains stimulated nodulation and BNF. However, the BNF capacity they facilitated was suppressed as the inorganic-N input increased. In addition, strain PVTN21 was superior to CIAT 899-as 50-25% N-treated plants inoculated with the former showed a yield loss of 11%, compared to the 100%-N-treated plants. In conclusion, N-use efficiency optimises BNF, reduces mineral-N-input dependency, and therefore may reduce any consequential negative environmental consequences of mineral-N over-application.

Plant Beneficial Bacteria and Their Potential Applications in Vertical Farming Systems

In this literature review, we discuss the various functions of beneficial plant bacteria in improving plant nutrition, the defense against biotic and abiotic stress, and hormonal regulation. We also review the recent research on rhizophagy, a nutrient scavenging mechanism in which bacteria enter and exit root cells on a cyclical basis. These concepts are covered in the contexts of soil agriculture and controlled environment agriculture, and they are also used in vertical farming systems. Vertical farming-its advantages and disadvantages over soil agriculture, and the various climatic factors in controlled environment agriculture-is also discussed in relation to plant-bacterial relationships. The different factors under grower control, such as choice of substrate, oxygenation rates, temperature, light, and CO₂ supplementation, may influence plant-bacterial interactions in unintended ways. Understanding the specific effects of these environmental factors may inform the best cultural practices and further elucidate the mechanisms by which beneficial bacteria promote plant growth.

A simplified non-greenhouse hydroponic system for small-scale soilless urban vegetable farming

Majority of under-developed countries continue to face a challenge of food insecurity around urban areas resulting from factors such as; limited access to arable land. This study aimed at developing a simplified low-tech hydroponic system for growing leafy vegetables alongside testing its economic viability. This was intended to support urban vegetable production and henceforth contributing to food security more so in under-developed states dealing with the challenge of increasing urban population vs. reducing arable land around urban/ peri-urban areas. A hydroponic unit for growing 60 leafy vegetables (using lettuce as a study crop) under non-controlled environmental conditions was designed and developed using low-cost and low-tech materials. Kratky hydroponic method which involves growing crops using water as a media without the need for water pumps and electricity was used. A study was also carried out to assess the profitability of the system. The results indicated a: net present values of 16.37$, internal rate of return of 12.57%, profitability index of 1.1 and non-discounted payback period of approximately 8 months (4 cropping seasons). These findings showed that the system has the potential to improve urban food production and availability in especially in developing countries in a profitable manner. Vegetable production using the hydroponic system can also contribute to:•tachievement of sustainable development goals, 2 (zero hunger) and 3 (good health and wellbeing);•improvement in urban agriculture production and income generation among urban farmers;•enhanced adoption of low-cost, low-tech, environmental-friendly and sustainable farming systems.

Mapping direct N2O emissions from peri-urban agriculture: The case of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona

Geographically explicit datasets reflecting local management of crops are needed to help improve direct nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission inventories. Yet, the lack of geographically explicit datasets of relevant factors influencing the emissions make it difficult to estimate them in such way. Particularly, for local peri-urban agriculture, spatially explicit datasets of crop type, fertilizer use, irrigation, and emission factors (EFs) are hard to find, yet necessary for evaluating and promoting urban self-sufficiency, resilience, and circularity. We spatially distribute these factors for the peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) and create N₂O emissions maps using crop-specific EFs as well as Tier 1 IPCC EFs for comparison. Further, the role of the soil types is qualitatively assessed. When compared to Tier 1 IPCC EFs, we find 15% more emissions (i.e. 7718 kg N₂O-N year^-1) than those estimated with the crop-specific EFs (i.e. 6533 kg N₂O-N year^-1) for the entire AMB. Emissions for most rainfed crop areas like cereals (e.g. oat and barley) and non-citric fruits (e.g. cherries and peaches), which cover 24% and 13% of AMB's peri-urban agricultural area respectively, are higher with Tier 1 EF. Conversely, crop-specific EFs estimate higher emissions for irrigated horticultural crops (e.g. tomato, artichoke) which cover 33% of AMB's peri-urban agricultural area and make up 70% of the total N₂O emissions (4588 kg N₂O-N year^-1 using crop-specific EFs). Mapping the emissions helps evaluate spatial variability of key factors such as fertilizer use and irrigation of crops but carry uncertainties due to downscaling regional data to represent urban level data gaps. It also highlighted core emitting areas. Further the usefulness of the outputs on mitigation, sustainability and circularity studies are briefly discussed.