Indoor vertical farming emerges as a sustainable paradigm, enabling crop cultivation in vertically layered ecosystems under precisely controlled environmental parameters. This innovative approach not only bolsters climate resilience but also minimizes the strain on precious arable land and water resources, aligning with sustainable principles. While posited as a transformative solution to global food security challenges and the limitations of traditional agriculture, a pivotal facet within indoor farming necessitates sustainable optimization: the crops cultivated within. Conventional commercial crop varieties utilized in indoor vertical farming lack tailored adaptations to controlled environments, underscoring the imperative to cultivate crops endowed with distinct indoor-farming traits. These include better performance under energy-efficient artificial lighting, high growth rate, and unique flavours. In this review, we highlight recent technological advancements in crop breeding and elaborate these coveted indoor-farming traits. In addition, we illuminate potential genetic workflows essential for breeders to strategically refine crops as a foundation for the long-term sustainability of indoor farming.
Teo, Z.W.N., Yu, H. Genetic breeding for indoor vertical farming. npj Sustain. Agric. 2, 13 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-024-00021-5