Hydroponic production of selected crops.

Abstract

Abstract While there is a wide range of potentially profitable crops which can be grown in hydroponics under protected cultivation, greenhouse production is dominated by fruiting crops such as tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum and strawberries, and vegetative species such as lettuce, salad and leafy greens, herbs and specialty crops like microgreens. This chapter summarizes information on a selected range of common hydroponic crops to give basic procedures for each and an outline of the systems of production. These crops include tomato, capsicum or sweet bell pepper, cucumber, lettuce and other salad greens, strawberry and rose. Information is given on their hydroponic production systems and environment, propagation, plant density, pruning, pollination, fruit growth, crop nutrition, pests, diseases, disorders, harvesting and postharvest handling.