Abstract

This dataset includes data from an experimental trial conducted at AlmaVFarm, the experimental vertical farm of the University of Bologna, to evaluate yield performance and resource-use efficiency of different crop types under controlled-environment conditions. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was used as the control leafy green and compared with another leafy vegetable (arugula, Eruca sativa), an herb (basil, Ocimum basilicum), a fruit crop (dwarf tomato, Solanum lycopersicum), and a staple crop (dwarf corn, Zea mays). The dataset contains measurements of marketable fresh and dry biomass, morphological and physiological traits, and system-level resource-use efficiency indicators, including land-surface, volume, and energy use efficiency. Key findings show that lettuce achieved the highest annual yield (73.2 kg FW m⁻² y⁻¹), exceeding arugula by 46% and basil by 35%. Lettuce also demonstrated the highest land-surface use efficiency (SUE, 65 kg m⁻² y⁻¹), volume use efficiency (VUE, 24.5 kg m⁻³ y⁻¹), and energy use efficiency (EUE, 46.7 g FW kWh⁻¹), outperforming other species, including tomato and corn. These data confirm the efficiency advantages of short-cycle leafy greens in controlled environments, while highlighting the need for crop-specific optimization for other species.