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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Crop Improvement and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #349262
Title: LED lighting – modification of growth, metabolism, yield and flour composition in wheat by spectral quality and intensity

Author
item MONOSTORI, ISTVAN - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item HEILMANN, MARK - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item KOCSY, GABOR - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item RAKSZEGI, MARIANNA - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item AHRES, MOHAMED - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item Altenbach, Susan
item SZALAI, GABRIELLA - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item PAL, MAGDA - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item TOLDI, DAVID - Szent Istvan University
item SIMON-SARKADI, LIVIA - Szent Istvan University
item HARNOS, NOEMI - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item GALIBA, GABOR - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences
item DARKO, EVA - Hungarian Academy Of Sciences

Submitted to: Frontiers in Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/17/2018
Publication Date: 5/4/2018
Citation: Monostori, I., Heilmann, M., Kocsy, G., Rakszegi, M., Ahres, M., Altenbach, S.B., Szalai, G., Pal, M., Toldi, D., Simon-Sarkadi, L., Harnos, N., Galiba, G., Darko, E. 2018. LED lighting – modification of growth, metabolism, yield and flour composition in wheat by spectral quality and intensity. Frontiers in Plant Science. 9:605. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.00605.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.00605

Interpretive Summary: Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting technology can provide high light levels and customized wavelengths for plant cultivation. When compared to conventional fluorescent lighting, LED technology has the advantages of low energy consumption, long lifetimes and stable spectral distributions. However, the utilization of LEDs in phytotrons for cultivation of cereals is not prevalent yet, in part because the precise effects of spectral compositions and light intensities on cereal plants have not been studied in detail. In the present work, wheat plants were grown in phytotrons under six regimens designed to compare the effects of LED and conventional fluorescent lights on growth and development, metabolic processes, and grain yield and flour quality. The study revealed changes that occur in wheat plants as a result of the lighting conditions and demonstrate that LEDs are efficient for experimental wheat cultivation.

Technical Abstract: The use of light-emitting diode (LED) technology for plant cultivation under controlled environmental conditions can result in significant reductions in energy consumption. However, there is still a lack of detailed information on the lighting conditions required for optimal growth of different plant species and the effects of light intensity and spectral composition on plant metabolism and nutritional quality. In the present study, wheat plants were grown under six regimens designed to compare the effects of LED and conventional fluorescent lights on growth and development, leaf photosynthesis, thiol and amino acid metabolism as well as grain yield and flour quality of wheat. Benefits of LED light sources over fluorescent lighting were manifested in both yield and quality of wheat. Elevated light intensities made possible with LEDs increased photosynthetic activity, the number of tillers, biomass and yield. At lower light intensities, blue, green and far-red light operated antagonistically during the stem elongation period. High photosynthetic activity was achieved when at least 50% of red light was applied during cultivation. A high proportion of blue light prolonged the juvenile phase, while the shortest flowering time was achieved when the blue to red ratio was around one. Ratios of blue, red and far-red light affected the glutathione- and proline-dependent redox environment in leaves. Application of LEDs improved flour quality by modifying starch and protein content, dough strength and extensibility as demonstrated by the ratios of high to low molecular weight glutenins, ratios of glutenins to gliadins and gluten spread values. These results clearly show that LEDs are efficient for experimental wheat cultivation, and make it possible to optimize the growth conditions and to manipulate metabolism, yield and quality through modification of light quality and quantity.