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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Food Quality Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419601
Research Project: Reducing Postharvest Loss and Improving Fresh Produce Marketability and Nutritive Values through Technological Innovations and Process Optimization

Location: Food Quality Laboratory

Title: Programmable LED lighting enhances growth and nutrients of red cabbage microgreens in controlled environments

Author
item Zhou, Bin
item Luo, Yaguang - Sunny
item Liu, Zhihao
item Sun, Jianghao
item Fonseca, Jorge

Submitted to: Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/28/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Urban farming and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) are becoming vital components to future food security as population continues to migrate to cities and demand convenient access to fresh, safe and nutritious produce. Microgreens are ideal for these environments where space is limited, and short growing cycles are needed. To optimize their production under CEA systems, USDA-ARS scientists studied the effect of LED lighting on growth, quality, and nutrient content of red cabbage microgreens. The novel approach to this work is the tailored and programmable use of LED lights to assess and predict different stages of produce growth, in contrast to the constant LED settings used in previous studies. These findings can help urban farmers and CEA processors increase the adoption of LED lighting technology to optimize production of microgreens.

Technical Abstract: Red cabbage microgreens are high in nutrients and well-suited to Controlled Environment Agriculture due to their short growth cycle and space efficiency. This study investigated the effect of LED lighting at different wavelengths and intensities on growth, morphology, and nutritional quality. A programmable LED lighting system was used to tailor light exposure throughout different stages of growth, enabling precise control over light spectra and intensity. Blue, hyper-red, and far-red, had significant effects on stem length, leaf area, and pigmentation (P<0.00002 or less). Also, blue light enhanced leaf area and improved color uniformity, while hyper-red and far-red lights increased stem elongation and leaf pigmentation. Comparatively, white light had a more moderate effect on both growth and visual characteristics (P<0.004). A principal component analysis (PCA) further confirmed these results with the highest variability observed in pigment content and stem length. Metabolomic analysis showed enhanced production of glucosinolates and polyphenols after dynamic lighting schedules. These findings can be put in practice in the production of microgreens under CEA systems, and to potentially contribute to the expansion of urban agriculture efforts.