Organic Vegetable Production: Sustainable Management Practices, Challenges and Future Perspectives

Global population growth is increasing demand for food, driving large-scale monocultures and long supply chains. At the same time, more resilient and sustainable vegetable production is needed—one that focuses not only on yields but also on environmental health, social equity, and economic viability. Organic vegetable production offers a holistic approach by relying on natural ecosystem processes rather than external inputs like synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, aiming to maintain productivity, stability, and resilience. Vegetables exhibit distinct characteristics, including short growth cycles, high nutrient demand, small-scale production structures, cultivation under both greenhouse and open-field conditions, high market value, and pronounced postharvest perishability. These features make organic vegetable production particularly complex and management-intensive, requiring precise and timely interventions. Under the pressures of climate change, such as increased temperature variability, more frequent extreme weather events, and growing water scarcity, these challenges become even more pronounced. Thus, effective soil and crop management emerges as a central component of organic production systems. This encompasses key aspects such as soil fertility management, efficient water use, balanced crop nutrition, pest and disease regulation, and the optimization of plant–soil interactions. Together, these factors are essential for achieving sustainable, productive, and resilient systems. Here, we synthesize current scientific knowledge on techniques and management practices in organic vegetable production while also highlighting existing challenges and identifying key research needs.