Agronomic Approaches for Sustainable Production of Fruits and Vegetables
Choudhari Balaji Keshavrao
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram - 695522, Kerala, India
Jagmal P. Khatana
Department of Agronomy, Chimanbhai Patel College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Dantiwada - 385506, Gujarat, India
Purushottam Kumar Nandu
Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram - 695522, Kerala, India
Yogesh V. Wayal
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram - 695522, Kerala, India
P. S. Laxmi
Department of Postharvest Management, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur - 680656, Kerala, India
Khushal B. Muradi *
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur - 680656, Kerala, India
K. Bhrundha
Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur - 680656, Kerala, India
M. V. Keerthana
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur - 680656, Kerala, India
B. S. Chaithra
Kadiri Baburao College of Agriculture, C. S. Puram - 523112, Andhra Pradesh, India
G. Athira
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur - 680656, Kerala, India
Harshavardhan Mohan Totawar
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram - 695522, Kerala, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Fruits and vegetables are essential pillars of human nutrition and global food security, yet their sustainable production is under increasing threat from population growth, climate change, resource depletion, and the environmental costs of intensive farming. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed scientific evidence on the major agronomic approaches for sustainable fruit and vegetable production. Core areas examined include soil health management, nutrient management using fertilizers and biostimulants, water use efficiency through deficit and drip irrigation, integrated pest management (IPM), crop diversification through rotation and legume intercropping, organic farming strategies, and climate-smart adaptation. Key verified quantitative findings include: fertilizer application improving crop yield by 30.9% and nutritional quality by 11.9% across 7,859 data pairs; subsurface drip irrigation increasing yield by 5.39% and irrigation water productivity by 6.75% relative to surface drip across 984 comparisons; IPM achieving a 40.9% mean yield increase alongside pesticide use falling to 30.7% of baseline across 85 projects in Asia and Africa; legume-based rotations enhancing subsequent crop yield by 20% across 11,768 observations from 462 field experiments; and diversified crop rotation increasing equivalent yield by 38%, reducing N₂O emissions by 39%, and improving soil health by 45% in a six-year field experiment in the North China Plain. Evidence demonstrates that combining multiple complementary sustainable practices generates synergistic benefits exceeding those of any single intervention. Key research priorities include long-term system-level evaluations of Conservation Agriculture in horticultural systems, integration of soil health metrics with nutrient and water management, economic feasibility assessments for smallholder adoption, and improved understanding of climate resilience under diversified production systems.
Keywords: Sustainable horticulture, conservation agriculture, integrated pest management, water-use efficiency, soil health, climate-smart agriculture, precision agriculture, organic systems