<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In this study, we investigated the effects of different-colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the growth and quality of daughter cladodes of the edible cactus <italic>Nopalea cochenillifera</italic>. Cladodes were cultured hydroponically using the deep-flow technique under red, blue, or a combination of red and blue, or red, blue, and green light in an enclosed-type plant factory. We found that daughter cladodes developed from the mother cladodes in all the treatments, despite pH of the nutrient solution drastically decreasing over time. However, the elongation growth rate of the first daughter cladodes and the number of daughter cladodes produced were highest under red light and lowest under blue light, indicating that blue light suppresses daughter cladode development. The total fresh weight (FW) of the daughter cladodes emerging from a single mother cladode was also lowest under blue light. However, the average FW of the daughter cladodes was the highest under blue light, or under simultaneous irradiation with red and blue light. The number of spines, which is an undesirable characteristic in edible cacti, was significantly lower under red light than under blue light, while the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the daughter cladodes was the highest under blue light or under simultaneous irradiation with red and blue light. Our results show that light wavelength has a strong effect on daughter cladode development in <italic>N. cochenillifera</italic>, so controlling the light environment represents an effective approach for improving the growth and quality of this edible cactus.</p></abstract>

In this study, we investigated the effects of different-colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the growth and quality of daughter cladodes of the edible cactus Nopalea cochenillifera. Cladodes were cultured hydroponically using the deep-flow technique under red, blue, or a combination of red and blue, or red, blue, and green light in an enclosed-type plant factory. We found that daughter cladodes developed from the mother cladodes in all the treatments, despite pH of the nutrient solution drastically decreasing over time. However, the elongation growth rate of the first daughter cladodes and the number of daughter cladodes produced were highest under red light and lowest under blue light, indicating that blue light suppresses daughter cladode development. The total fresh weight (FW) of the daughter cladodes emerging from a single mother cladode was also lowest under blue light. However, the average FW of the daughter cladodes was the highest under blue light, or under simultaneous irradiation with red and blue light. The number of spines, which is an undesirable characteristic in edible cacti, was significantly lower under red light than under blue light, while the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the daughter cladodes was the highest under blue light or under simultaneous irradiation with red and blue light. Our results show that light wavelength has a strong effect on daughter cladode development in N. cochenillifera, so controlling the light environment represents an effective approach for improving the growth and quality of this edible cactus.

Effects of Light Wavelength on Daughter Cladode Growth and Quality in Edible Cactus <italic>Nopalea cochenillifera</italic> Cultured in a Plant Factory with Artificial Light

Journal of Horticultural Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Effects of Light Wavelength on Daughter Cladode Growth and Quality in Edible Cactus  Cultured in a Plant Factory with Artificial Light

In this study, we investigated the effects of different-colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the growth and quality of daughter cladodes of the edible...

Effects of Light Wavelength on Daughter Cladode Growth and Quality in Edible Cactus Nopalea cochenillifera Cultured in a Plant Factory with Artificial Light

Published Online: Dec 31, 2018

Page range: 71 - 80

Received: Aug 01, 2018

Accepted: Apr 01, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johr-2018-0018

Keywords
Antioxidant status, LED, spines, plant factory, productivity, light spectrum

© 2019 Takanori Horibe et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Effects of Light Wavelength on Daughter Cladode Growth and Quality in Edible Cactus Nopalea cochenillifera Cultured in a Plant Factory with Artificial Light

Published Online: Dec 31, 2018

Page range: 71 - 80

Received: Aug 01, 2018

Accepted: Apr 01, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johr-2018-0018

KeywordsAntioxidant status, LED, spines, plant factory, productivity, light spectrum

© 2019 Takanori Horibe et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Antioxidant status, LED, spines, plant factory, productivity, light spectrum