Liquid organic fertilizers in soilless cultivation: a systematic review of production, performance, challenges, and future prospects
4 affiliations
- 1School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kentucky State University
- 2Aquaculture Research Center, Kentucky State University
- 3Department of Agriculture, Eastern Kentucky University
- 4Department of Plant Science, University of California
Abstract
Organic farming practices, including the use of organic growing media, biopesticides, and biological control, are increasingly gaining attention in soilless crop production under controlled environments, driven by rising environmental awareness and potential economic benefits. However, plant nutrition in soilless systems still relies heavily on synthetic fertilizers (SFs), whose production is energy-intensive and can contribute to environmental pollution when overapplied. Liquid organic fertilizers (LOFs), derived from plants, animals, and other organic waste materials, present a promising alternative. Despite this potential, their adoption remains limited due to insufficient awareness of production factors, uncertainty regarding performance, and challenges related to application. This systematic review synthesizes findings from more than 77 peer-reviewed studies, revealing substantial variability in LOF nutrient composition depending on formulation, feedstock, and processing methods. Reported concentrations ranged from 0.74 to 11,000 mg/L for nitrogen, 0.22 to 4,000 mg/L for phosphorus, and 4.5 to 53,000 mg/L for potassium, with pH values between 4.6 and 8.1. Crop yields in substrate-based systems were generally comparable to those achieved with SFs, whereas yield reductions of 15 to 65% were observed in NFT and DWC systems. Studies also reported profit margins up to 41% when organic price premiums were applied. Overall, LOFs show strong potential for soilless cultivation when properly formulated and managed. Addressing application challenges, such as biofilm formation, irrigation clogging, nutrient variability, and inconsistent nutrient release will be critical for scaling LOF adoption and advancing sustainable and resilient soilless crop production. Other application hurdles that may present as critical include research needs in nutrient mineralization tracking, formation kinetics, microbial resistance, regulatory frameworks, and economic resilience.
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BibTeX
@article{chand2026liquid,
title = {{Liquid organic fertilizers in soilless cultivation: a systematic review of production, performance, challenges, and future prospects}},
author = {Jonish Chand and Rubel Reza and Milon Chowdhury and Janelle V. Hager and Prosanta Kumar Dash and Nazmin Akter and Laura Cammarisano},
journal = {Frontiers in Sustainability},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.3389/frsus.2026.1775182},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2026.1775182},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Liquid organic fertilizers in soilless cultivation: a systematic review of production, performance, challenges, and future prospects
AU - Jonish Chand
AU - Rubel Reza
AU - Milon Chowdhury
AU - Janelle V. Hager
AU - Prosanta Kumar Dash
AU - Nazmin Akter
AU - Laura Cammarisano
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/15
JO - Frontiers in Sustainability
DO - 10.3389/frsus.2026.1775182
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2026.1775182
AB - Organic farming practices, including the use of organic growing media, biopesticides, and biological control, are increasingly gaining attention in soilless crop production under controlled environments, driven by rising environmental awareness and potential economic benefits. However, plant nutrition in soilless systems still relies heavily on synthetic fertilizers (SFs), whose production is energy-intensive and can contribute to environmental pollution when overapplied. Liquid organic fertilizers (LOFs), derived from plants, animals, and other organic waste materials, present a promising alternative. Despite this potential, their adoption remains limited due to insufficient awareness of production factors, uncertainty regarding performance, and challenges related to application. This systematic review synthesizes findings from more than 77 peer-reviewed studies, revealing substantial variability in LOF nutrient composition depending on formulation, feedstock, and processing methods. Reported concentrations ranged from 0.74 to 11,000 mg/L for nitrogen, 0.22 to 4,000 mg/L for phosphorus, and 4.5 to 53,000 mg/L for potassium, with pH values between 4.6 and 8.1. Crop yields in substrate-based systems were generally comparable to those achieved with SFs, whereas yield reductions of 15 to 65% were observed in NFT and DWC systems. Studies also reported profit margins up to 41% when organic price premiums were applied. Overall, LOFs show strong potential for soilless cultivation when properly formulated and managed. Addressing application challenges, such as biofilm formation, irrigation clogging, nutrient variability, and inconsistent nutrient release will be critical for scaling LOF adoption and advancing sustainable and resilient soilless crop production. Other application hurdles that may present as critical include research needs in nutrient mineralization tracking, formation kinetics, microbial resistance, regulatory frameworks, and economic resilience.
SN - 2673-4524
ER -