In the following study, the role of spectrum light on the productivity and plant quality in vertical farms is researched. The growing demands for food with high-quality standards and high nutritional value have caused agriculture to evolve towards agricultural innovation, go hand in hand with technological development, as is the case of vertical farming (VF) development.
Despite the exponential growth of the system, there is a paucity of analysis on the research that has been carried out to date using a VF system and on information on the most relevant parameters to be considered for optimum production. This review is a bibliometric analysis of 318 scientific articles taken from the SCOPUS database, where information from 109 papers published in relevant journals was used.
During the last ten years, the number of publications that have been carried out in a VF system has increased by 195%, with China standing out as the geographical location where field experiments are carried out. Lettuce crop predominates in the investigations, with a light intensity of 200 μmol∙m−2∙s−1 and with a photoperiod of 16 h·day−1, using spectra between 450 and 495 nm, and a combination of blue and red (450–495 and 620–750 nm).
The use of the research in the VF system for fresh, quality, local produce has increased in recent years and has proven to be highly effective in productivity and quality. Conditions and management have been generalized, with more than 50% of researchers deciding to perform this cultivation method with similar photoperiod, spectrum, and intensity.
Among the conclusions obtained by each researcher, it is also agreed that it is a potentially sustainable and controllable system that can be developed in urban locations, benefiting the social economy, food security, and the environment, while the conclusions on the cent percent utilization of natural resources (such as energy from sunlight) in the system remain open and improving.
Nájera, C.; Gallegos-Cedillo, V.M.; Ros, M.; Pascual, J.A. Role of Spectrum-Light on Productivity, and Plant Quality over Vertical Farming Systems: Bibliometric Analysis. Horticulturae 2023, 9, 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9010063