Abstract
Hops production largely depends on daylength shortening for proper flowering. Innovative systems like indoor cultivation with LED lighting allow a precise control of photoperiod regardless of season. However, such systems are still under development for most crops and there isn’t a solid framework on which indoor hops cultivation can be referred to. The aim of this study is to provide a descriptive report on how hops plants can develop and flower in an indoor system. A growth chamber was designed to accommodate hops plants, providing lighting and two training methods: parallel and spiral. Within 90 days of vegetative growth the plants had substantially developed and photoperiod was reduced from 16 to 10 h. Flowering began 6 days after photoperiod shortening. Spiral training can provide a more ergonomic usage of vertical space, allowing hops plants to better develop length-wise. Although structural adjustments and further research are still needed, there is potential for hops production in an indoor system using LED lighting.
Published Version
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