Precision Farming in Horticulture

Climate variability often has a detrimental impact on crop yields and production. To counteract this, efforts have been made to harness natural resources through artificial means to enhance crop productivity. One such technique is protected cultivation, which has been widely adopted in Europe and the United States, and is now being led by China and Japan in the realm of controlled sphere production for horticultural crops. In India, breakthroughs are being made in the use of protected cultivation for crops such as pepper, tomato, cucumber, muskmelon, and baby corn in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. Precision farming is a method of cultivation that utilizes technology to achieve maximum precision in the production of superior crops with desired yield levels and quality at competitive costs. This includes the use of genetically modified crop varieties, micropropagation, integrated nutrient, water, and pest management, protected cultivation, organic farming, hi-tech horticulture, and post-harvest technology. The post-harvest sector also requires a high degree of precision. For example, resources such as peels and rags are often wasted, and even the peels themselves, which are rich in polyphenols, coloring pigments, nutrients, and antioxidants, are discarded. Therefore, there is a need for precision in management, product diversification, and value addition in this sector.