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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 15905

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Pietro Santamaria

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola 165/a, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: agrobiodiversity; soilless; nitrate; vegetable crops

Dr. Onofrio Davide Palmitessa

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola 165/a, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: supplemental light; greenhouse horticulture; soilless; high wire crops; nutrient solution management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Solar radiation is one of the most important environmental factors for plant growth because it drives photosynthesis and other physiological processes such as photomorphogenesis and phototropism. For high light requirement crops such as tomato, paprika, aubergine, cucumber, berries, green beans, etc., sub-optimal levels of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and/or daily light integral (DLI) and/or photoperiod, easily found during out-of-season greenhouse crop cycles, compromise the yield and the quality of production. To solve these problems, on the first half of the twentieth century, an artificial light technique was introduced to increase horticulture crop performances. Over the years, various types of lamps have been used for artificial lighting: incandescent, fluorescent, high-pressure mercury vapor, high-pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Today, LED technology is the most widely adopted for artificial lighting in greenhouses because it can vary the PPFD and the spectra quality according to crop, its phenological stage, and growth environment (greenhouse or growth chamber). Furthermore, the low dispersion of heat as infrared radiation has allowed the development of LED installation in new areas, such as the Mediterranean basin and the development of urban agriculture (vertical farming). Nevertheless, the behavior of the crops upon application of supplemental lighting is influenced by numerous other factors: genotype, phenological stage, growth environment, agricultural technique, fertilization, etc.

Based on this, the aim of this Special Issue is to exchange knowledge on any aspect related to light effects on crop performances, sharing the best practices or the best supplemental or artificial light recipes to improve the development of this technology.

Prof. Dr. Pietro Santamaria
Dr. Onofrio Davide Palmitessa
Guest Editors

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Keywords

light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
photoperiod
photosynthesis
light spectra
photomorphogenesis
phototropism
out-of-season production
horticulture
greenhouse
vertical farming

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Light Intensity and Growth Media Influence Growth, Nutrition, and Phytochemical Content in Trachyandra divaricata Kunth

Ayakha Tshayingwe

Muhali Olaide Jimoh

Avela Sogoni

Carolyn Margaret Wilmot

and

Charles Petrus Laubscher

Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010247 - 13 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1292

Abstract

Trachyandra divaricata (Sandkool) is one of the most abundant wild edible inflorescence vegetables in South Africa. The dearth of literature on its edibility, nutrient composition, and conservation has contributed to its underutilisation. This study investigated mineral and proximate content, phytochemical compositions, and growth response of T. divaricata to light intensity and soilless media. Treatments comprised four media (LECA clay, silica sand, peat, and vermiculite) which were subjected to different shade levels (no shade, 20, 40, 60, and 80%) created from a factory-made 20% density net by doubling (40%), tripling (60%), and quadrupling (80%). All treatments were irrigated with a standard nutrient solution. The results showed that the treatments impacted the yield of T. divaricata significantly in terms of biomass and flower buds, especially in plants cultivated in peat under normal greenhouse lighting (no shade). Conversely, plants developed significantly more specific leaf size and total chlorophyll content under shade levels (20, 40, 60, and 80%) in different growth media, even though the values were comparable among treatments. The highest Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, and Mn levels were consistently recorded in flowers of T. divaricata grown in LECA clay under 80% shade level, while other minerals varied in tested treatments. The peat medium under 20% shade optimised the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) content of the flowers, whereas both fat and protein contents were greatly enhanced by peat and vermiculite, respectively, under the 80% shade. Consistently, the lowest phytochemical contents were recorded in LECA clay subjected to 80% shade, whereas the highest polyphenols and DPPH antioxidants were produced by silica sand medium treated with 20% shade. Both TEAC and FRAP antioxidants were improved significantly in LECA clay under no shade and the 60% shade level. However, both 20% and 60% shade levels enhanced the flavonol content significantly. On the basis of these findings, T. divaricata is a promising inflorescent vegetable that may be considered for domestication and further research due to its potential pharmacological and nutraceutical values. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth Control of Plants on the Light Environment)

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Open AccessArticle

Morphological and Physiological Traits of Greenhouse-Grown Tomato Seedlings as Influenced by Supplemental White Plus Red versus Red Plus Blue LEDs

and

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2450; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102450 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1565

Abstract

The relatively low light intensity during autumn–winter or early spring and inclement weather such as rain or fog may lead to extended production periods and decreased quality of greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings. To produce high-quality tomato seedlings rapidly, the influences of supplementary lights with different spectra on the morphological and physiological traits of tomato seedlings were measured in a greenhouse. Supplemental lighting with the same daily light integrals (DLI) of 3.6 mol m⁻²d⁻¹ was provided by white (W) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), white plus red (WR) LEDs, and red plus blue (RB) LEDs, respectively, and tomato seedlings grown under only sunlight irradiation were regarded as the control. Our results demonstrate that raised DLI by supplementary light improved the growth and development of greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings, regardless of the spectral composition. Under conditions with the equal DLI, the tomato seedlings grown under supplementary WR LEDs with a red to blue light ratio (R:B ratio) of 1.3 obtained the highest values of the shoot and root fresh weights, net photosynthetic rate, and total chlorophyll content. The best root growth and highest root activity of tomato seedlings were also found under the supplementary WR LEDs. Supplementary WR LEDs remarkably increased the stem firmness of the greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings, and increased the starch content in the leaves of greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings compared to the control. However, statistically significant differences did not occur in the sucrose, carotenoid contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities among the different supplemental lighting treatments. In conclusion, supplemental LED lighting could promote the growth and development of greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings grown under insufficient sunlight conditions. In addition, WR LEDs could obtain tomato seedlings with a higher net photosynthetic rate, higher root activity, and higher starch content compared with other treatments, which could be applied as supplementary lights in greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings grown in seasons with insufficient light. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth Control of Plants on the Light Environment)

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Open AccessArticle

Light Spectrum Effects on the Ions, and Primary and Secondary Metabolites of Red Beets (Beta vulgaris L.)

and

Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1699; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071699 - 18 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1504

Abstract

Red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is a root vegetable consumed and cultivated all around the world. It contains plenty of sugars, inorganic ions and a variety of secondary metabolites known to improve human health. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of light spectra on red beets and their components in a vertical farm (VF) compared to open field (OF). RED (red:blue-white = 4:1)-treated shoots elevated total phenolic contents (TPC) among lights. Sugar content in VF red beets was 4.2 times higher than beets from OF. Betalains in VF red beets were 2.4–2.8 times higher than OF ones, and RED-treated roots had significantly higher betalain levels compared to CON (red:blue-white = 2:1)-treated ones. VF red beets contained a higher level of inorganic nitrates and lower chloride compared to OF beets. In conclusion, the light spectrum alters the concentration of beet components to be higher than that of OF red beets, and RED light elevated TPC, sugars and betalains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth Control of Plants on the Light Environment)

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Open AccessArticle

Effects of Greenhouse vs. Growth Chamber and Different Blue-Light Percentages on the Growth Performance and Quality of Broccoli Microgreens

Onofrio Davide Palmitessa

Vito Michele Paradiso

and

Pietro Santamaria

Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1161; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051161 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2101

Abstract

Microgreens are a product category with a biochemical content that is currently earning them the status of a functional food. The genotype of the microgreens, and environmental factors, such as the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and light spectra, can influence the yield and biochemical profile. A landrace of broccoli called ‘Mugnoli’ was compared with a commercial variety (‘Broccolo Natalino’) in two microgreen growing systems (greenhouse vs. growth chamber) and under three growth chamber light spectra (blue, control, control + blue). The results showed that both Mugnoli and Broccolo Natalino can be used to produce microgreens, achieving similar yields, but that Mugnoli showed notably higher polyphenols and antioxidant contents. Due the higher PFFD of the greenhouse environment, microgreens yields were 18% higher than the yields from cultivation in the growth chamber. Regarding the results under different growth chamber spectra, monochromatic blue caused reductions in the microgreens yield and polyphenols content of 13.5% and 14.2%, respectively. In conclusion, Mugnoli can be considered a valuable genetic source for the production of microgreens given its fast crop cycle, good fresh weight production, and, compared to Broccolo Natalino, its superior biochemical content and lower susceptibility to PPFD variations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth Control of Plants on the Light Environment)

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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Yield and Quality of Romaine Lettuce at Different Daily Light Integral in an Indoor Controlled Environment

and

Stanisław Kaniszewski

Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051026 - 24 Apr 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3251

Abstract

In this study, the effect of different photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) provided by LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and photoperiod on biomass production, morphological traits, photosynthetic performance, sensory attributes, and image texture parameters of indoor cultivated romaine lettuce was evaluated. Two cultivars of lettuce Lactuca sativa var. longifolium namely ‘Casual’ (Syngenta)—midi romaine lettuce with medium-compact heads—and ‘Elizium’ (Enza Zaden)—a mini type (Little Gem) with compact heavy heads—were used. PPFD of 160 and 240 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and photoperiod of 16 and 20 h were applied, and Daily Light Integral (DLI) values were 9.2, 11.5, 13.8, and 17.3 mol m⁻² day⁻¹. The experiment lasted 30 days in the Indoor Controlled Environment Agriculture facility. DLI equal to 17.3 mol m⁻² per day for cv. ‘Casual’ and 11.5–17.3 mol m⁻² per day for cv. ‘Elizium’ allowed to obtain a very high fresh weight, 350 and 240 g, respectively, within 30 days of cultivation in an indoor plant production facility. The application of the lowest PPFD 160 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and 16 h photoperiod (9.2 mol m⁻² per day DLI) resulted in the lowest fresh weight, the number of leaves and head circumference. The level of nitrate, even at the lowest DLI, was below the limit imposed by European Community Regulation. The cv. ‘Elizium’ lettuce grown at PPFD 240 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and 16 h photoperiod had the highest overall sensory quality. The cv. ‘Casual’ lettuce grown at PPFD 160 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and 20 h photoperiod had the lowest sensory quality. The samples subjected to different photoperiod and PPFD were also successively distinguished in an objective and non-destructive way using image features and machine learning algorithms. The average accuracy for the leaf samples of cv. ‘Casual’ lettuce reached 98.75% and for cv. ‘Elizium’ cultivar—86.25%. The obtained relationship between DLI and yield, as well as the quality of romaine lettuce, can be used in practice to improve romaine lettuce production in an Indoor Controlled Environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth Control of Plants on the Light Environment)

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Open AccessArticle

Side Lighting Enhances Morphophysiology and Runner Formation by Upregulating Photosynthesis in Strawberry Grown in Controlled Environment

Jingli Yang

Jinnan Song

and

Byoung Ryong Jeong

Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010024 - 23 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3017

Abstract

The significant effects of lighting on plants have been extensively investigated, but research has rarely studied the impact of different lighting directions for the strawberry plant. To understand the optimal lighting direction for better growth and development, this study investigated how strawberries respond to variations in the lighting direction to help fine-tune the growth environment for their development. We examined how the lighting direction affects plant morphophysiology by investigating plant growth parameters, leaf anatomy, epidermal cell elongation, stomatal properties, physiological characteristics, and expressions of runner induction-related genes (FaSOC1 and FaTFL1) and gibberellin (GA) biosyntheses-related genes (FaGA20ox2 and FaGA20ox4). In closed-type plant factory units, the rooted cuttings of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) ‘Suhlyang’ were subjected to a 10-h photoperiod with a 350 μmol∙m⁻²∙s⁻¹ photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) from three directions relative to the plants: top, side, and bottom. Our results demonstrated that the side lighting profoundly promoted not only morphophysiology, but also runner formation, by upregulating photosynthesis in strawberries. Side lighting can bring commercial benefits, which include reduced economic costs, easier controllability, and harmlessness to plants. This will help provide new insights for the propagation of the most commonly cultivated strawberries in South Korea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth Control of Plants on the Light Environment)

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Open AccessArticle

Soilless System with Supplementary LED Light to Obtain a High-Quality Out-of-Season Production of Green Beans

Angelo Signore

Beniamino Leoni

Onofrio Davide Palmitessa

and

Pietro Santamaria

Agronomy 2021, 11(10), 1999; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11101999 - 01 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1921

Abstract

Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important sources of vegetable proteins in the world and it is cultivated all year round, but the light availability, during the dark season, limited its growth. Nevertheless, recent studies conducted on greenhouse horticulture demonstrated that, with the application of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as supplementary light (SL) technology, it is possible to overcome this limitation. Consequently, during the experiment conducted, two cultivars of green bean (‘Saporro’ and ‘Maestrale’) were grown with a soilless system in a cold greenhouse during the fall-winter period. To increase the photoperiod and the daily light integral (DLI), early in the morning, four hours of red (R), blue (B) and red+blue (R + B) supplementary light were supplied by LEDs at 180 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ (PPFD) at plants level. Plants grown under LEDs improved the yield and the gas exchange system compared with the plants grown under natural light; when B light was supplied as a sole source of SL, it increased the dry matter content and the brightness (L*) of the pods. Between the cultivars, ‘Maestrale’ produced 20 g∙plant⁻¹ of pods more than ‘Saporro’ but the latter’s colour was brighter (L*) and greener (a*), and ‘Saporro’ also showed the highest photosynthetic efficiency (ΦPSII). In conclusion, ‘Maestrale’ and ‘Saporro’ obtained encouraging out-of-season yields under different LED spectra, but among those B light seems to improve overall crop performances and pods quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth Control of Plants on the Light Environment)

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