Effects of Supplemental UV-A LED Radiation on Growth and Bioactive Compounds in Spinach
2024
Choi, D.S. | Lee, J.H. | Oh, M.M.
A proper level of UV-A light treatment in terms of intensity, spectrum, and exposure duration is known to have a positive impact on plant growth, photosynthesis, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. However, there are few studies investigating the physiological responses of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) to UV radiation. Hence, this study aimed to assess the effects of short-term UV-A radiation on the growth and bioactive compounds of spinach. Spinach seedlings were cultivated in a vertical farm module under the following environmental conditions: photosynthetic photon flux density 200 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, white LED, 12 h on/off, 20℃ air temperature, 70% relative humidity, and 500 µmol·mol⁻¹ CO₂ concentration. After 5 weeks of sowing, the seedlings were subjected to continuous UV-A (peak wavelength; 385 nm) irradiation at two different energy levels: 20 W·m⁻² and 40 W·m⁻² for 7 days. As a result, the UV-A20W treatment increased the shoot fresh and dry weights of spinach. However, there were no significant differences observed in photosynthetic parameters between the UV-A treatments and the control. The maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) consistently decreased across all UV-A treatments for 7 days in UV-A treatments. Additionally, the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity increased in the UV-A20W treatment at 7 days of treatment as well as the total flavonoid content significantly increased at 5 and 7 days of treatment. These findings suggest that supplemental UV-A LED radiation can enhance the growth and quality of spinach cultivated in closed type plant production systems such as vertical farms.
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