Optimization of Light Quality for Plant Factory Production of Brassica campestris (Pakchoi)

Chengbo Zhou, Kangwen Zhou, Jiangtao Hu, Xu Zhang () and Qingming Li ()
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Chengbo Zhou: Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Kangwen Zhou: Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Jiangtao Hu: Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Xu Zhang: College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
Qingming Li: Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: Light is a key factor influencing the growth and quality of crops in plant factories. To explore the optimal light quality for pakchoi production, five light formulations were applied to ‘Youguan NO.3’ pakchoi: white LEDs (W; CK); white/red = 4:1 (WR); white/blue = 4:1 (WB); white/red/blue = 3:1:1 (WRB); and white/green = 4:1 (WG), all with a light intensity of 250 ± 10 µmol·m −2 ·s −1 . The results showed significant variations in growth indices, nutritional quality, enzyme activity, and other parameters under different light qualities. The best growth results were observed under the WRB treatment. Chloroplasts under WRB treatment appeared well-developed, with clear grana lamellae. The thylakoids in the chloroplast grana of the WRB plants were densely stacked, and a large number of starch grains were detected. The contents of total sugar, soluble sugar, soluble protein, and protein nitrogen were significantly higher under the WB, WRB, and WR treatments compared to the CK treatment, along with a significant reduction in nitrate content. Among all the treatments, WRB treatment resulted in the highest levels of total sugar, starch, free amino acids, soluble protein, total nitrogen, protein nitrogen, and ascorbic acid (AsA). Enzyme activity assays revealed that the activities of sucrose phosphate synthetase (SPS), nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthetase (GOGAT), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were highest under WRB treatment. Therefore, supplemental red-blue mixed light can effectively improve the growth and nutritional properties of pakchoi grown under white light. This supplementary lighting strategy provides a new way to enhance the nutritional value of leafy vegetables in plant factories.

Keywords: pakchoi; light quality; carbon and nitrogen metabolism; chloroplast structure (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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