Supplemental LED inter-lighting compensates for a shortage of light for plant growth and yield under the lack of sunshine

PLoS One. 2018 Nov 1;13(11):e0206592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206592. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Supplemental lighting can enhance yield when sunlight is limited, as in winter. As the effect of frequent cloudy or rainy days in other seasons on plant growth and yield remains unclear, we investigated the effect on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and compensation by supplemental LED inter-lighting. Plants were grown under 30% shade cloth on 0%, 40%, or 60% of days. Lower leaves were illuminated with red and blue LED inter-lighting modules from right after first anthesis, or not illuminated. Shading during 40% and 60% of days diminished daily light integral (DLI) by 26% and 40%, respectively, and reduced shoot dry weight by 22.0% and 23.3%, yield by 18.5% and 23.3%, and fruit soluble solids content by 12.3% and 9.3%. In contrast, supplemental inter-lighting improved the light distribution within plants and compensated DLI, and maintained similar yield and soluble solids content in both shade treatments as in the control. These results clearly show that supplemental LED inter-lighting could efficiently compensate for a shortage of light for plant growth, photosynthesis and thus yield under the lack of sunshine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ascorbic Acid / metabolism
  • Biomass
  • Chlorophyll / metabolism
  • Crop Production / instrumentation*
  • Crop Production / methods*
  • Food Quality
  • Fruit / anatomy & histology
  • Fruit / growth & development
  • Fruit / physiology
  • Lighting / instrumentation*
  • Photosynthesis
  • Plant Leaves / anatomy & histology
  • Plant Leaves / growth & development
  • Plant Leaves / physiology
  • Solanum lycopersicum / anatomy & histology
  • Solanum lycopersicum / growth & development*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / physiology
  • Sunlight*

Substances

  • Chlorophyll
  • Ascorbic Acid

Grants and funding

This study was partly supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) [KAKENHI Grant Number: 16H06552 and 18H02185 (to W.Y.)]. JA Zen-noh provided support in the form of salaries for authors KS, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the "author contributions" section.