Soilless Cultivation of Edible Flowers
摘要
Edible flowers, as the name suggests, are flowers that can be ingested by humans and do not pose any harmful effects after consumption. There are numerous health benefits associated with edible flowers due to their bioactive components. Edible flowers are in high demand around the world, which requires new cultivation methods such as soilless cultivation in contrast to traditional cultivation, for producing more and better-quality flowers. In this chapter, soilless farming systems are illustrated and compared with conventional farming methods in order to identify and understand their applications. Furthermore, a description of different types of hydroponic and substrate-dependent cultures is provided, including their advantages and disadvantages. The environmental conditions required for growth in soilless cultivation systems as well as the effect of various environmental factors on the growth of secondary metabolites production are discussed in this chapter. This chapter also addresses the protocols of some edible flowers in the conditions of soilless cultivation and their uses and nutritional value.