Effects of Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on Growth, Nitrates and Osmoprotectant Content in Microgreens of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants

Haddaji, Hamza El; Akodad, Mustapha; Skalli, Alí; Moumen, Abdelmajid; Bellahcen, Said; Urrestarazu, Miguel; Kolar, Mitja; Imperl, Jernej; Petrova, Petranka; Baghour, Mourad

doi:10.3390/horticulturae9040494

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 45 publications

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“…The aim is to optimise land use and increase production, while reducing the environmental footprint. The system offers many advantages, such as a clean source of fresh food throughout the year close to consumers, biological safety, the absence of pests and a large labour market (Haddaji et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the effects of various light spectra on microgreen species

Jasenovska,

Brestic,

Barboricova

et al. 2024

Folia Horticulturae

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Light conditions, such as spectral composition, intensity and photoperiod, can affect the photosynthetic apparatus and content of beneficial bioactive compounds. The experiments realised under randomised experimental design tested seedlings of 21 genotypes, including 12 genotypes of the Brassicaceae family, lettuce, amaranth, onion, spinach, fenugreek and two beet and two basil genotypes, which were cultivated in three light environments under narrow-band red and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and broad-band white LEDs. Responsiveness to light spectra was assessed based on fresh and dry weight, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and non-invasive assessment of specific compounds using fluorescence excitation ratios. In white light, we observed a higher fresh weight compared to that in monochromatic environments, especially compared to blue light. In most of the species, blue and white light had a positive effect on the concentration of chlorophyll and carotene in plants compared to red light. Blue light was associated with the highest values of chlorophyll excitation ratios, indicating a significant increase in flavonoids and anthocyanin contents. Individual microgreens responded differently in all assessed traits, especially in fluorescence ratios. We also observed the clustering of microgreens with similar responses to LED light spectra. In conclusion, in most plant species, multispectral white LEDs positively influenced quantitative and qualitative traits compared to the most frequently used red LEDs. Blue light slightly improved quality, but suppressed growth. Nevertheless, some species responded differently, emphasising the need to optimise the light to improve the microgreens’ production and nutritional value.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the effects of various light spectra on microgreen species

Jasenovska,

Brestic,

Barboricova

et al. 2024

Folia Horticulturae

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Growth parameters, phytochemicals, and antitumor activity of wild and cultivated ice plants (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.)

Rincón‐Cervera,

Pagan Loeiro da Cunha‐Chiamolera,

Chileh‐Chelh

et al. 2024

Food Science & Nutrition

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The ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.) is a halophyte that could become an alternative crop because of its interest as a functional food and its adaptation to high‐saline soils. In this work, leaves from wild ice plants were compared with their cultivated counterparts in a soilless system at different salinities and light exposures for assessing growth parameters, moisture, fatty acid profiles, total carotenoids, phenolic compounds, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity against the HT‐29 colorectal cancer cell line. Moisture ranged between 876 and 955 g kg−1, and wild plants contained higher proportions of α‐linolenic acid (58.7%–60.7% of total fatty acids) than cultivated ones (20.4%–36.6%). Vitamin C ranged between 819 and 1143 mg kg−1 fresh leaves. Higher salinity led to a larger production of carotenoids, whereas plant mass, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity increased in plants grown using L8 NS1 and L8 AP67 lamps in comparison with white‐light ones. Phenolic profiles were assessed by LC coupled to a hybrid mass spectrometer Q‐Orbitrap. Total phenolic acid content was 3–4‐fold higher than that of flavonoids, and sinapic, p‐coumaric, gallic, 4‐hydroxybenzoic, and 2‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzoic acids, as well as gallocatechin, occurred in all samples. Hydroalcoholic extracts of ice plant leaves showed dose‐ and time‐dependent antiproliferative activity against the HT‐29 human colorectal cancer cell line, and GI50 was between 920 and 977 μg mL−1 of plant extract. This work contributes to improving knowledge about the growth parameters, phytochemical profiles, and biological activities of wild and cultivated ice plants.

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