Blue light dosage affects carotenoids and tocopherols in microgreens.

Mustard, beet and parsley were grown to harvest time under selected LEDs: 638+660+731+0% 445nm; 638+660+731+8% 445nm; 638+660+731+16% 445nm; 638+660+731+25% 445nm; 638+660+731+33% 445nm. From 1.2 to 4.3 times higher concentrations of chlorophylls a and b, carotenoids, α- and ß-carotenes, lutein, violaxanthin and zeaxanthin was found under blue 33% treatment in comparison to lower blue light dosages. Meanwhile, the accumulation of metabolites, which were not directly connected with light reactions, such as tocopherols, was more influenced by lower (16%) blue light dosage, increasing about 1.3 times. Thus, microgreen enrichment of carotenoid and xanthophyll pigments may be achieved using higher (16-33%) blue light intensities. Changes in metabolite quantities were not the result of changes of other carotenoid concentration, but were more influenced by light treatment and depended on the species. Significant quantitative changes in response to blue light percentage were obtained for both directly and not directly light-dependent metabolite groups.

Red Light-Dose or Wavelength-Dependent Photoresponse of Antioxidants in Herb Microgreens.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of 638-nm and 665-nm LEDs on changes of antioxidants of basil (Ocimum basilicum) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum), and to assess the effect of light quality on antioxidative status. Plants were grown in peat substrate for 19 days (21/17 ±2°C, 16 h). Experiments were performed in (I) a controlled-environment: B455,R638,R665,FR731(control); B455,R*638,R665,FR731; B455,R638,R*665,FR731; R638; R665 (B-blue, R- red, FR-far-red light). PPFD was set from 231 during growth, upto 300 µmol m-2 s-1 during 3-day treatment changing R638 or R665 PPFD level; in (II) greenhouse (November): high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) (control-300 µmol m-2s-1); and HPS + 638 (HPS generated 90 and red LEDs-210 µmol m-2s-1). In general, under supplemental or increased red 638 nm light, amounts of tested antioxidants were greater in basil, whereas sole 665 nm or sole 638 nm is more favourable for parsley. Increased or supplemental red light significantly increased contents of phenolics, α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid and DPPH• but suppressed accumulation of lutein and ß-carotene in basil, whereas an increase of ß-carotene and DPPH• was observed in parsley. Hereby, the photoresponse of antioxidant compounds suggests that photoprotective mechanism is stimulated by both light-dose-dependent and wavelength-dependent reactions.

Root-shoot interactions explain the reduction of leaf mineral content in Arabidopsis plants grown under elevated [CO2 ] conditions.

Although shoot N depletion in plants exposed to elevated [CO2 ] has already been reported on several occasions, some uncertainty remains about the mechanisms involved. This study illustrates (1) the importance of characterizing root-shoot interactions and (2) the physiological, biochemical and gene expression mechanisms adopted by nitrate-fed Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown under elevated [CO2 ]. Elevated [CO2 ] increases biomass and photosynthetic rates; nevertheless, the decline in total soluble protein, Rubisco and leaf N concentrations revealed a general decrease in leaf N availability. A transcriptomic approach (conducted at the root and shoot level) revealed that exposure to 800 ppm [CO2 ] induced the expression of genes involved in the transport of nitrate and mineral elements. Leaf N and mineral status revealed that N assimilation into proteins was constrained under elevated [CO2 ]. Moreover, this study also highlights how elevated [CO2 ] induced the reorganization of nitrate assimilation between tissues; root nitrogen assimilation was favored over leaf assimilation to offset the decline in nitrogen metabolism in the leaves of plants exposed to elevated [CO2 ].

The effects of LED illumination spectra and intensity on carotenoid content in Brassicaceae microgreens.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of irradiance levels and spectra produced by solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on carotenoid content and composition changes in Brassicaceae microgreens. A system of five high-power, solid-state lighting modules with standard 447-, 638-, 665-, and 731-nm LEDs was used in the experiments. Two experiments were performed: (1) evaluation of LED irradiance levels of 545, 440, 330, 220, and 110 µmol m(-2) s(-1) photosynthetically active flux density (PPFD) and (2) evaluation of the effects of 520-, 595-, and 622-nm LEDs supplemental to the standard set of LEDs. Concentrations of various carotenoids in red pak choi and tatsoi were higher under illumination of 330-440 µmol m(-2) s(-1) and at 110-220 µmol m(-2) s(-1) in mustard. All supplemental wavelengths increased total carotenoid content in mustard but decreased it in red pak choi. Carotenoid content increased in tatsoi under supplemental yellow light.

LED illumination affects bioactive compounds in romaine baby leaf lettuce.

BACKGROUND: The effect of light quality on phytochemicals in romaine baby leaf lettuce 'Thumper' was investigated in (I) a closed environment and (II, III) a greenhouse (16 h, 21/17 °C): (I) basal (638, 455, 660, 735 nm) LEDs supplemented with UV (380 nm), green (510 nm), yellow (595 nm) or orange (622 nm) LEDs (PPFD of ∼175 µmol m(-2) s(-1) ); (II) high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps (90 µmol m(-2) s(-1) ) supplemented with blue (455, 470nm) or green (505, 530nm) LEDs (30 µmol m(-2) s(-1) ); (III) at 3 days before harvesting, HPS lamps (90 µmol m(-2) s(-1) ) supplemented with red (638 nm) LEDs (210 µmol m(-2) s(-1) ). RESULTS: (I) Supplemental UV or orange light enhanced phenolic compounds, supplemental UV or green light enhanced α-carotene, and supplemental green light enhanced anthocyanins. All supplemental LED colours had a negative effect on tocopherol and ascorbic acid levels. (II) HPS lighting supplemented with different LEDs was not efficient, since the increase in some compounds did not compensate the decrease in major tested phytochemicals. (III) Short-term irradiation with supplemental 638 nm LEDs before harvesting in the greenhouse did not have a significant effect on phytochemical contents, apart from enhancing tocopherols. CONCLUSION: Wavelength control using LED technology affects the production of secondary metabolites, as the metabolism of many nutrients is light-dependent. The narrow-bandwidth supplemental light effects were diminished by broader-spectrum HPS light or natural daylight in the greenhouse.

The effects of different UV-B radiation intensities on morphological and biochemical characteristics in Ocimum basilicum L.

BACKGROUND: The effects of short-term ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv. Cinnamon) plants at the 3-4 leaf pair and flowering stages were examined in controlled environment growth chambers. Plants were exposed to 0 (reference), 2 and 4 kJ UV-B m(-2) day(-1) over 7 days. RESULTS: Exposure of basil plants to supplementary UV-B light resulted in increased assimilating leaf area, fresh biomass and dry biomass. Stimulation of physiological functions in young basil plants under either applied UV-B dose resulted in increased total chlorophyll content but no marked variation in carotenoid content. At the flowering stage the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of basil were affected by supplementary UV-B radiation, decreasing with enhanced UV-B exposure. Both total antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical assay) and total phenolic compound content were increased by UV-B light supplementation. Young and mature basil plants differed in their ascorbic acid content, which was dependent on UV-B dose and plant age. UV-B radiation resulted in decreased nitrate content in young basil plants (3-4 leaf pair stage). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the application of short-exposure UV-B radiation beneficially influenced both growth parameters and biochemical constituents in young and mature basil plants.