High Proportion of Blue Light Contributes to Product Quality and Resistance to Phytophthora Infestans in Tomato Seedlings

Chengyao Jiang, Yue Ma, Kexin Zhang, Yu Song (), Zixi Liu, Mengyao Li, Yangxia Zheng, Sang Ge, Tonghua Pan, Junhua Xie and Wei Lu ()
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Chengyao Jiang: College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yue Ma: Crop Research Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, China
Kexin Zhang: College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yu Song: Crop Research Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, China
Zixi Liu: College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Mengyao Li: College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yangxia Zheng: College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Sang Ge: Shannan Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Shannan 856000, China
Tonghua Pan: School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Junhua Xie: Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Wei Lu: College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-16

Abstract: Plant seedlings are sensitive to cultivation environment factors and highly susceptible to pathogenic infections under adverse conditions such as inappropriate light environment. In this study, five kinds of LED lighting sources with different red (R) and blue (B) light combinations were set up: R10B0, R7B3, R5B5, R2B8 and R0B10 (with R:B ratios of 10:0, 7:3, 5:5, 2:8 and 0:10, respectively) to explore their effects on tomato seedlings’ growth, AsA-GSH cycle, endogenous hormones, and resistance to Phytophthora infestans , providing a basis for factory seedling light-quality selection. The results showed that with the increase in the proportion of blue light in the composite light, the growth indicators, photosynthetic characteristic parameters and enzyme activities of tomato seedlings generally increased. The contents of AsA, reduced glutathione, and oxidized glutathione all reached the maximum under high-proportion blue-light treatments (R2B8 and R0B10). The high-blue-light groups (R2B8 and R0B10) had the highest AsA and glutathione contents. The red–blue combinations reduced inhibitory ABA and increased growth-promoting hormones (e.g., melatonin), while monochromatic light increased ABA to inhibit growth. After inoculation with P. infestans , the apoplastic glucose content was the highest under the red–blue-combined treatments (R5B5 and R2B8), while the total glucose content in leaves was the highest under the combined light R2B8 treatment. In conclusion, high-proportion blue-light treatment can greatly promote the photosynthetic process of tomato, enhance the AsA-GSH cycle, and achieve the best effect in improving the resistance of tomatoes to P . infestans. Given these, the optimal light environment setting was R:B = 2:8.

Keywords: Solanum lycopersicum; LED light environment; ascorbic acid; glutathione; plant–pathogen interaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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