Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) culture in vermi-aquaponic systems: I. Cultural practices

Abstract

The successful sustainable production of high-quality and high-yielding tomatoes, particularly, by deploying precision agriculture with less water, nutrient, and energy consumption in a controlled environment has important roles in supporting plant and ecosystem sustainability, human nutrition and diet, and economic development worldwide. Among such methods, aquaponics provides more advantages than conventional and hydroponic cultivations by reusing the wastewater and, thereby, improving energy, water and nutrient use efficiency, financial gain, as well as plant and ecosystem sustainability. However, it requires more biological and technical knowledge to maintain the system's balance and optimal condition. The proper management of the greenhouse climate and the controlled environmental system, agricultural practices, inputs, and nutrients recycling are the foremost determinant factors of effectiveness, cost-efficiency, productivity, as well as plant and ecosystem sustainability. The knowledge of optimal growth and recycling conditions in aquaponics is still developing. Due to the differences of the materials and methods of the related studies and various types, combinations, and contents of growth media substrates and fertilizers, genetic diversities and differential responses, optimal growth conditions and interactive effects of the (micro)organisms, a deep understanding of the influence of the mentioned factors are required to reach the optimum results. Therefore, the most efficient tomato culture practices in aquaponics and most importantly in the vermi-ponic unit are discussed in this paper to provide insight into developing the most successful cost-effective sustainable systems for tomato production.