Microgreens Production: Exploiting Environmental and Cultural Factors for Enhanced Agronomical Benefits

An exponential growth in global population is expected to reach nine billion by 2050, demanding a 70% increase in agriculture productivity, thus illustrating the impact of global crop production on the environment and the importance of achieving greater agricultural yields. Globally, the variety of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plants (Basel) 2024-09, Vol.13 (18), p.2631
Main Authors: Dubey, Shiva, Harbourne, Niamh, Harty, Mary, Hurley, Daniel, Elliott-Kingston, Caroline
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Agriculture
Agronomy
controlled environment agriculture (CEA)
Crop production
Crops
Cultivation
Cultural factors
Dietary minerals
Farming
Flavors
Food
Food quality
food security
Functional foods
Functional foods & nutraceuticals
Humidity
Indoor environments
microgreens
Nutrient requirements
nutritional profile
Phytochemicals
Potassium
Review
seed density
Seedlings
Seeds
Sustainability
Traditional farming
Urban farming
Vegetables
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Summary:An exponential growth in global population is expected to reach nine billion by 2050, demanding a 70% increase in agriculture productivity, thus illustrating the impact of global crop production on the environment and the importance of achieving greater agricultural yields. Globally, the variety of high-quality microgreens is increasing through indoor farming at both small and large scales. The major concept of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) seeks to provide an alternative to traditional agricultural cultivation. Microgreens have become popular in the twenty-first century as a food in the salad category that can fulfil some nutrient requirements. Microgreens are young seedlings that offer a wide spectrum of colours, flavours, and textures, and are characterised as a "functional food" due to their nutraceutical properties. Extensive research has shown that the nutrient profile of microgreens can be desirably tailored by preharvest cultivation and postharvest practices. This study provides new insight into two major categories, (i) environmental and (ii) cultural, responsible for microgreens' growth and aims to explore the various agronomical factors involved in microgreens production. In addition, the review summarises recent studies that show these factors have a significant influence on microgreens development and nutritional composition.
ISSN:2223-7747
2223-7747
DOI:10.3390/plants13182631