Beyond vegetables: effects of indoor LED light on specialized metabolite biosynthesis in medicinal and aromatic plants, edible flowers, and microgreens

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 gen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2022-01, Vol.102 (2), p.472-487
Main Authors: Appolloni, Elisa, Pennisi, Giuseppina, Zauli, Ilaria, Carotti, Laura, Paucek, Ivan, Quaini, Stefania, Orsini, Francesco, Gianquinto, Giorgio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthocyanins
antioxidant
Antioxidants
Biosynthesis
Carotenoids
Carotenoids - chemistry
Carotenoids - metabolism
Crop Production - instrumentation
Crop Production - methods
Flowers
Flowers - chemistry
Flowers - growth & development
Flowers - metabolism
Flowers - radiation effects
Glycosides
horticultural light emitting diodes
Horticulture
indoor farming
Light
Light emitting diodes
Lighting
Luminous intensity
Medicinal plants
Metabolites
nutraceuticals
Phenols
Phenols - chemistry
Phenols - metabolism
Photoperiods
Photoreceptors
Plant Leaves - chemistry
Plant Leaves - growth & development
Plant Leaves - metabolism
Plant Leaves - radiation effects
Plants (botany)
Plants, Edible - chemistry
Plants, Edible - growth & development
Plants, Edible - metabolism
Plants, Edible - radiation effects
Plants, Medicinal - chemistry
Plants, Medicinal - growth & development
Plants, Medicinal - metabolism
Plants, Medicinal - radiation effects
Review
Reviews
secondary metabolites
Terpenes
Tocopherols
Vegetables - chemistry
Vegetables - growth & development
Vegetables - metabolism
Vegetables - radiation effects
vertical farms
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0022-5142
1097-0010
DOI:10.1002/jsfa.11513