Hydroponics has emerged as a sustainable alternative to agriculture. However, new technologies such as Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence are needed to keep up with issues related to economics, automation, and social challenges in hydroponics farming.

One significant issue is optimizing growth parameters to identify the best conditions for growing fruits and vegetables. These parameters include pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), light intensity, daily light integral (DLI), and nutrient solution/ambient temperature and humidity.

To address these, a systematic literature review was conducted to answer research questions regarding the optimal growth parameters for leafy green vegetables and herbs and spices grown in hydroponic systems. The review selected 131 papers related to indoor farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics.

The majority of the articles focused on technology description (38.5%), artificial illumination (26.2%), and nutrient solution composition/parameters (13.8%). Additionally, the remaining 10.7% of articles focused on the application of sensors, slope, environment, and economy.

The review aims to provide valuable information on optimized growth parameters for smart hydroponic systems and explore prospects and the application of digital technologies in this field.

Read the full review paper at: mdpi.com