**16. Open-field vs polyhouse soilless cultivation of vegetables**

Between open and polyhouse soilless cultivation, the highest yield and better fruit quality were recorded with zucchini, chilli, coriander, cucumber, French bean, peas, and tomato with open conditions. However, colour cabbage recorded maximum head weight and highest yield in polyhouse soilless cultivation. Similarly, brinjal also recorded higher yield in polyhouse than in open-field soilless culture because of better control of pests, particularly brinjal shoot and fruit borer. Pest and disease management was easier in polyhouse than in open-field soilless culture [24].

#### **16.1 Zucchini**

Between open and polyhouse soilless cultivation of zucchini, the highest stem diameter (35.2 mm), maximum fruit length (23.2 cm), fruit girth (42.9 mm), fruit weight (315.4 g), and yield (5.27 kg/plant and 65.8 t/ha) were recorded with open conditions [25, 26]. However, the maximum plant height (80.6 cm), number of leaves (47.4), number of fruits (22.3), and total plant dry biomass (144.7 g/plant) were recorded with polyhouse conditions.

#### **16.2 Red cabbage**

When open and polyhouse soilless cultivation of red cabbage were compared, the maximum plant height (25.71 cm), head diameter (33.7 cm), head length (12.9 cm), average head weight (817.8 g/plant), and yield (45.43 t/ha) was recorded with polyhouse conditions [27].

#### **16.3 Chilli**

Open field soilless cultivation outperformed polyhouse cultivation in almost all the parameters (number of fruits (228), fruit length (11.8 cm), fruit girth (10.3 cm), average fruit weight (5.68 g), and yield (1.29 kg/plant)) recorded during the course of the experiment except plant height [28].
