[thdrdt]

In the Netherlands we grow a lot of bell peppers on 'water'. Those sweet pepers are much larger than the ones grown on soal. But the only difference is the taste and the thickness of the skin. They might even be a little more healthy because they were grown in a lab like controlled environment.

Imho the taste is a big trade-off, but growing them on water takes way less space and also makes a failed harvest less likely.

[barrenko]

I come from a rural "wasteland" in Croatia. The soil is very infertile to say the least. Yet, the same plants that survive there taste much much better locally then the "same" ones from presumably better controlled environment.

The older I get, you could blindfold me, and I could tell you I'm in my home area just by smell alone. It's almost like it's perfumed.

In the plant, you can taste the struggle.

[dr_dshiv]

I am often shocked by the tastelessness of food in the Netherlands -- in contrast to anywhere I have ever lived. But the future is promising, as there is so much room for optimization.

[amelius]

Promising? The Netherlands is a large exporter of plant breeding technology.

[dr_dshiv]

It's also the #2 agricultural exporter in the world. (Though I believe this figure includes agrotech exports)

https://dutchreview.com/news/innovation/second-largest-agric...