Vertical Farm Versus Glasshouse: Comparative Analysis of Growth, Antioxidants, and Volatile Profiles in Four Basil Varieties

Global population growth and climate change are placing unprecedented pressure on food systems, threatening crop productivity and nutritional quality. Vertical farming, as a form of totally controlled-environment agriculture, offers an innovative approach to optimizing plant growth and enhancing the quality of high-value crops such as basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). The aim of this study was to compare the growth performance, antioxidant properties, and volatile profiles of four basil varieties—Lemon Basil, Purple Basil, Sweet Basil, and Thai Basil—grown in a vertical farm (VF) and in a traditional semi-controlled glasshouse (GH). In both environments, plants were cultivated in soilless systems with manual fertigation. Plant height, dry weight percentage, and the reflectance indices NDVI and Greenness Index were measured as indicators of growth performance; total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP) were analyzed to evaluate antioxidant status, and headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was employed to characterize volatile compounds associated with the aroma of the crops. Depending on the basil variety, plants cultivated in VF generally exhibited enhanced growth compared to GH (up to 116% increase in plant height), increased antioxidant content (up to 88% higher TPC and up to 99% higher FRAP in VF), and greater accumulation of aromatic compounds (up to 120% larger summed peak area of the 50 most abundant volatile compounds in VF). These findings indicate that vertical farming can improve both growth and phytochemical quality of basil through precise environmental control, highlighting its potential for sustainable urban food production of high-quality fresh produce.