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Beyond vegetables: effects of indoor LED light on specialized metabolite biosynthesis in medicinal and aromatic plants, edible flowers, and microgreens
Abstract Specialized metabolites from plants are important for human health due to their antioxidant properties. Light is one of the main factors modulatin
Elisa Appolloni, Giuseppina Pennisi, Ilaria Zauli, Laura Carotti, Ivan Paucek, Stefania Quaini, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · 2021 · https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.11513
Abstract
Abstract Specialized metabolites from plants are important for human health due to their antioxidant properties. Light is one of the main factors modulating the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites, determining the cascade response activated by photoreceptors and the consequent modulation of expressed genes and biosynthetic pathways. Recent developments in light emitting diode (LED) technology have enabled improvements in artificial light applications for horticulture. In particular, the possibility to select specific spectral light compositions, intensities and photoperiods has been associated with altered metabolite content in a variety of crops. This review aims to analyze the effects of indoor LED lighting recipes and management on the specialized metabolite content in different groups of crop plants (namely medicinal and aromatic plants, microgreens and edible flowers), focusing on the literature from the last 5 years. The literature collection produced a total of 40 papers, which were analyzed according to the effects of artificial LED lighting on the content of anthocyanins, carotenoids, phenols, tocopherols, glycosides, and terpenes, and ranked on a scale of 1 to 3. Most studies applied a combination of red and blue light (22%) or monochromatic blue (23%), with a 16 h day −1 photoperiod (78%) and an intensity greater than 200 μmol m −2 s −1 (77%). These treatment features were often the most efficient in enhancing specialized metabolite content, although large variations in performance were observed, according to the species considered and the compound analyzed. The review aims to provide valuable indications for the definition of the most promising spectral components toward the achievement of nutrient‐rich indoor‐grown products. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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How to credit this work
Elisa Appolloni; Giuseppina Pennisi; Ilaria Zauli; Laura Carotti; Ivan Paucek; Stefania Quaini; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto (2021). Beyond vegetables: effects of indoor LED light on specialized metabolite biosynthesis in medicinal and aromatic plants, edible flowers, and microgreens. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.11513 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Hosted by EVEC Athens (microgreens.org.gr). No changes were made to this article. Provided as-is, without warranties. EVEC Athens is not affiliated with, and this copy is not endorsed by, the authors or the publisher.
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