Evaluation of a rotational indoor farming system: Basil agronomic performance, resource efficiency and postharvest quality
Abstract
Indoor vertical farming aims to optimize productivity and plant quality. We therefore compared a rotative (ROT) cultivation system, designed to improve light and airflow homogeneity but potentially inducing mechanical stress and altered gravity perception, with a horizontal indoor system (CT) as control, to assess their effects on plant growth, morphology and quality in basil (Ocimum basilicum L. var. Prospera). Plants were grown for 21 days and then stored for 7 days at 12 degrees C in darkness. Morphological, biochemical, metabolic, and volatile traits were assessed at harvest (D0) and after storage (D7). Histological analysis of leaves was performed at harvest. ROT cultivation increased fresh and dry yields by 20% and 19%, respectively, and improved light- and water-use efficiency (LUE and WUE) by up to similar to 20%, compared to CT. Canopy uniformity was lower in ROT, with bigger individuals emerging. Histology at harvest revealed minor anatomical differences in leaves lacunar parenchyma. ROT leaves showed a similar to 2.4-fold lower ascorbic acid content than CT at both time points, whereas (total phenolic content) TPC was lower at harvest but increased significantly during storage. Volatile profiling revealed minor compounds differences between CT and ROT at harvest. Both aromatic and metabolic compositions were influenced more by storage time than by cultivation system, as postharvest evolution drove stronger differentiation. In summary, the ROT system enhanced biomass and resource-use efficiency at the expense of vitamin C, while not affecting postharvest performance. These results position rotational cultivation as a promising indoor farming strategy, although further work is needed to clarify and manage potential quality trade-offs.
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BibTeX
@article{sambuco2026evaluation,
title = {{Evaluation of a rotational indoor farming system: Basil agronomic performance, resource efficiency and postharvest quality}},
author = {Bianca Sambuco and Sandrine Laurent and Vanessa Kuentz and Guy Costagliola and Huguette Sallanon and Vincent Truffault and Florence Charles and Cédric Dresch and Véronique Vidal and Alberto Barbaresi},
journal = {Scientia Horticulturae},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.scienta.2026.115105},
url = {https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05742956v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Evaluation of a rotational indoor farming system: Basil agronomic performance, resource efficiency and postharvest quality
AU - Bianca Sambuco
AU - Sandrine Laurent
AU - Vanessa Kuentz
AU - Guy Costagliola
AU - Huguette Sallanon
AU - Vincent Truffault
AU - Florence Charles
AU - Cédric Dresch
AU - Véronique Vidal
AU - Alberto Barbaresi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/08
JO - Scientia Horticulturae
DO - 10.1016/j.scienta.2026.115105
UR - https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05742956v1
AB - Indoor vertical farming aims to optimize productivity and plant quality. We therefore compared a rotative (ROT) cultivation system, designed to improve light and airflow homogeneity but potentially inducing mechanical stress and altered gravity perception, with a horizontal indoor system (CT) as control, to assess their effects on plant growth, morphology and quality in basil (Ocimum basilicum L. var. Prospera). Plants were grown for 21 days and then stored for 7 days at 12 degrees C in darkness. Morphological, biochemical, metabolic, and volatile traits were assessed at harvest (D0) and after storage (D7). Histological analysis of leaves was performed at harvest. ROT cultivation increased fresh and dry yields by 20% and 19%, respectively, and improved light- and water-use efficiency (LUE and WUE) by up to similar to 20%, compared to CT. Canopy uniformity was lower in ROT, with bigger individuals emerging. Histology at harvest revealed minor anatomical differences in leaves lacunar parenchyma. ROT leaves showed a similar to 2.4-fold lower ascorbic acid content than CT at both time points, whereas (total phenolic content) TPC was lower at harvest but increased significantly during storage. Volatile profiling revealed minor compounds differences between CT and ROT at harvest. Both aromatic and metabolic compositions were influenced more by storage time than by cultivation system, as postharvest evolution drove stronger differentiation. In summary, the ROT system enhanced biomass and resource-use efficiency at the expense of vitamin C, while not affecting postharvest performance. These results position rotational cultivation as a promising indoor farming strategy, although further work is needed to clarify and manage potential quality trade-offs.
SN - 0304-4238
SN - 0304-4238
ER -