Understanding Factors That Influence Nutritional Quality of Organically Grown Vegetables.

Organic vegetable production and management systems can vary considerably depending upon the type of crops, soil and climatic conditions, farming inputs, and geographic regions. Site-specific practices used within different organic farming systems may make it rather challenging to identify and define the key factors that contribute fundamentally to the nutritional quality attributes of organically grown vegetables. Moreover, studies of nutritional quality and health-promoting properties of vegetables as influenced by production methods can oftentimes become complicated owing to the complexity of food quality components. A body of literature has shown the pronounced effect of varietal differences on phytochemical composition and content in various vegetables including those grown under organic production. The application of different sources and amounts of nutrient inputs in organic vegetable cultivation can result in different levels of soil fertility, which may exhibit differential influence on crop quality at harvest and during postharvest. Limited information is available with respect to how the implementation of crop rotation, cover crops, and reduced tillage affects the nutritional quality of vegetables beyond their role in soil and nutrient management and pest control. While increasing research evidence suggests the contributions of organic production systems to soil quality improvement, more in-depth, comprehensive studies are warranted to explore the potential linkage between soil quality, particularly soil biological activity, and vegetable crop health and quality. Instead of focusing on comparing organically vs. conventionally grown vegetables, research efforts need to be shifted towards understanding contributing factors within organic systems that will ultimately help optimize management and inputs for improving crop productivity and quality under both organic and conventional production.