A Comprehensive Review on Protected Cultivation: Importance, Scope and Status

Abstract

The practice of protected cultivation of horticultural crops has become increasingly important in contemporary agriculture, providing a host of advantages including higher yields, improved quality, and defence against pests and unfavourable weather. This thorough analysis seeks to illustrate protected cultivation practices as they stand today and investigate their potential in horticulture going forward. The examination starts out by going over the many kinds of protected production buildings and their benefits and drawbacks, such as greenhouses, high tunnels, and shade houses. The importance of protected farming in addressing issues related to global food security is then emphasised by maintaining crop output all year round and minimising reliance on seasonal changes. The impact of protected cultivation techniques which include enhanced crop morphogenesis, precipitation control, and the optimisation of environmental parameters like temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels on the growth and development of horticultural crops is further examined in this review. In addition, the application of cutting-edge technologies such as aeroponics, hydroponics, and vertical farming in protected growing systems is discussed and its potential to maximise crop output while consuming the least amount of resources is highlighted. The study also explores the difficulties and limitations associated with adopting protected cultivation, such as the need for synthetic inputs, energy requirements, and financial issues. It talks about environmentally friendly and sustainable ways to reduce these problems and support ecological balance, like using renewable energy sources and switching to organic farming methods. The investigation concludes that discussing some potential developments and trends in protected cultivation going forward, including as the application of artificial intelligence, the integration of precision agriculture methods, and the uptake of smart farming technologies. These developments could lead to increased yield and quality improvements in the production of horticulture crops by further optimising resource utilisation, enhancing automation, and improving crop monitoring and management.