Vol. 40 No. 3 (2026):
Reviews

Preharvest and postharvest determinants of quality in hydroponically grown lettuce. A review

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  • S. Adhikari
S. Adhikari
Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, Kansas State University, Olathe, KS 66061, USA.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ahsc-19668
Categories

Published 2026-09-30

Keywords

  • Hydroponics,
  • lettuce,
  • postharvest quality,
  • shelf life

How to Cite

Adhikari, S. (2026). Preharvest and postharvest determinants of quality in hydroponically grown lettuce. A review. Advances in Horticultural Science, 40(3), 345–354. https://doi.org/10.36253/ahsc-19668

Copyright (c) 2026 Sachin Adhikari

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Hydroponic lettuce production has increased rapidly due to its efficient use of water, nutrients, and space, as well as its ability to consistently produce high-quality lettuce. However, hydroponically grown lettuce remains highly perishable, and maintaining quality after harvest is a significant challenge. This review summarizes the key pre and postharvest factors affecting the quality of hydroponically grown lettuce, including appearance, texture, flavor, nutritional composition, and shelf life. Preharvest factors such as nutrient management, water quality, environmental conditions, cultivar selection, and plant growth regulators influence structural and physiological characteristics at harvest. These characteristics interact with postharvest conditions, including temperature, relative humidity, handling practices, ethylene exposure, and microbial activity, to determine storage performance. Compared with soil-grown lettuce, hydroponically grown lettuce may differ in hydration, although postharvest recommendations are often generalized from conventional systems. This review highlights existing knowledge gaps and emphasizes the need for integrated, hydroponic-specific strategies to improve quality retention and shelf life.

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