Recent developments in protected cultivation

Global protected cultivation area is estimated at more than 5 million ha. While very simple structures are adopted in mild winter climatic conditions, high technology greenhouses are used in Northern countries and where the environmental control is more demanding due to outdoor climate and demand of the market for high-quality produce. The greenhouse technology, climate control management, production technologies and strategies to improve resource use efficiency in the greenhouses have been advancing significantly. Greenhouse climate control worldwide has received much attention during the past decade for extension of growing season and increasing the yield and quality with more emphasis on resource use efficiency. Particularly, heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems are more advanced, both plant focused and data centric to optimize the crop production and help growers to make improved management decisions. In addition, the growing systems and techniques involved in soilless growing enable food production in urban and peri-urban areas and/or in intensive commercial production. In this paper, recent trends and developments in greenhouse technology (i.e., design, covering material), climate control strategies (i.e., heating, cooling, artificial lighting) and production technologies (i.e., vertical systems, biostimulant use) are discussed.