Improving spinach, radish, and lettuce growth under red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with blue light supplementation

HortScience. 2001 Apr;36(2):380-3.

Abstract

Radish (Raphanus sativus L. cv. Cherriette), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Waldmann's Green), and spinach (Spinacea oleracea L. cv. Nordic IV) plants were grown under 660-nm red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and were compared at equal photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) with either plants grown under cool-white fluorescent lamps (CWF) or red LEDs supplemented with 10% (30 micromoles m-2 s-1) blue light (400-500 nm) from blue fluorescent (BF) lamps. At 21 days after planting (DAP), leaf photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance were greater for plants grown under CWF light than for those grown under red LEDs, with or without supplemental blue light. At harvest (21 DAP), total dry-weight accumulation was significantly lower for all species tested when grown under red LEDs alone than when grown under CWF light or red LEDs + 10% BF light. Moreover, total dry weight for radish and spinach was significantly lower under red LEDs + 10% BF than under CWF light, suggesting that addition of blue light to the red LEDs was still insufficient for achieving maximal growth for these crops.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biomass
  • Chlorophyll / metabolism
  • Environment, Controlled
  • Lactuca / growth & development
  • Lactuca / metabolism
  • Lactuca / radiation effects*
  • Light*
  • Lighting / instrumentation
  • Lighting / methods
  • Photons
  • Photoperiod
  • Photosynthesis / radiation effects
  • Plant Leaves / growth & development
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / radiation effects*
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Plant Roots / radiation effects
  • Raphanus / growth & development
  • Raphanus / metabolism
  • Raphanus / radiation effects*
  • Spinacia oleracea / growth & development
  • Spinacia oleracea / metabolism
  • Spinacia oleracea / radiation effects*

Substances

  • Chlorophyll