A strategic approach for investigating light recipes for ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce using white and monochromatic LEDs

•‘Outredgeous’ romaine lettuce was grown under supplemented white LEDs, red and blue, and a LED spectrum similar to sunlight.•Supplemented white LEDs altered growth and plant morphology at different time periods during the crop cycle.•A spectrum similar to sunlight produced the highest biomass while...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Life sciences in space research Vol. 19; pp. 53 - 62
Main Authors:	Mickens, M.A., Skoog, E.J., Reese, L.E., Barnwell, P.L., Spencer, L.E., Massa, G.D., Wheeler, R.M.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2018
Subjects:	Advanced Plant Habitat Biomass Broad-spectrum Environment, Controlled Lactuca - growth & development Lactuca - metabolism Lactuca - radiation effects Light Light recipes Lighting - instrumentation Lighting - methods Monochromatic Nutrients - metabolism Photosynthesis Plant Leaves - growth & development Plant Leaves - metabolism Plant Leaves - radiation effects Red lettuce White light-emitting diode Red lettuce Advanced Plant Habitat Light recipes White light-emitting diode Broad-spectrum Monochromatic
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Summary:	•‘Outredgeous’ romaine lettuce was grown under supplemented white LEDs, red and blue, and a LED spectrum similar to sunlight.•Supplemented white LEDs altered growth and plant morphology at different time periods during the crop cycle.•A spectrum similar to sunlight produced the highest biomass while red and blue yielded the lowest with higher nutrients. To optimize crop production/quality in space, we studied various “light recipes” that could be used in the Advanced Plant Habitat currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Lettuce (Lactuca sativa cv. ‘Outredgeous’) plants were grown for 28 days under seven treatments of white (W) LEDs (control), red (635 nm) and blue (460 nm) (RB) LEDs, W + blue (B) LEDs, W + green (520 nm) (G) LEDs, W + red (R) LEDs, W + far red (745 nm) (FR) LEDs, and RGB + FR LEDs with ratios similar to natural sunlight. Total PAR was maintained near 180 µmol m−2 s−1 with an 18 h photoperiod. Lettuce grown under RGB + FR produced the greatest leaf expansion and overall shoot biomass, while leaves from WB and RB showed the highest levels of pigmentation, secondary metabolites, and elemental nutrients. All other supplemental treatments had varying impacts on morphology that were dependent on crop age. The WG treatment increased fresh mass early in the cycle, while WR increased biomass later in the cycle. The plants grown under WFR exhibited elongation of petioles, lower nutrient content, and similar shoot biomass to the W control. The findings suggest that supplementing a broad spectrum, white light background with discrete wavelengths can be used to manipulate total yield, morphology, and levels of phytonutrients in lettuce at various times during the crop cycle.
ISSN:	2214-5524 2214-5532
DOI:	10.1016/j.lssr.2018.09.003