engleski

Sustainable agricultural practices for nettle cultivation

Climate changes (global warming, drought) exacerbates food production problems and poses a global challenge to modern agriculture. One of the main objectives of the strategy of European Union is to achieve a carbon-neutral circular economy, which includes, among other things, a series of strategic plans in agriculture, such as the increased use of sustainable agricultural practices. Indeed, outdoor vegetable production is increasingly exposed to many risks, making it necessary to introduce modern farming methods and change the current crop production strategy. Hydroponic crop production offers itself as a suitable solution to overcome the above-mentioned problems, mainly because of its advantages, which range from good management of natural resources to rational water use, avoiding nutrient losses from the rhizosphere, etc. More efficient use of water and nutrients will result in higher yield and the nutrient quality of the raw material can be controlled. It is important to emphasize that the above technique promotes balanced and rational fertilization and water use, with the aim of minimizing nitrate uptake, and is therefore suitable for ecologically sensitive areas. Similarly, there is a growing need for new food sources rich in valuable bioactive compounds important for human health. Nettle, a species often considered a weed, is rich in phytochemicals that make it valuable from a pharmacological and nutritional perspective. It grows wild in nature, but in hydroponic cultivation (avoiding water and/or temperature stress) it is possible to obtain a final product with a uniform chemical composition and a high and regular yield.

Urtica dioica L., hydroponic system, balanced fertilization, soilless technique, nutritional quality

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