Abstract
This work aimed to study the effect of some light spectra on the growth, oxidative state, and stress of einkorn wheatgrass (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum). To this end, six light treatments, having the same total incident photon flux density (PFD) of 200 μmol m–2 s–1, were applied to einkorn and compared: only blue light; only red; three blue:red combinations, at different proportions of total PFD (75:25%, 50:50%, and 25:75%, respectively); and a wide spectrum, taken as a control treatment, composed of blue (18% of PFD), red (18%), and intermediate wavelengths (64%). Light treatments affected the contents of pigments (chlorophylls and carotenes), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA). These results revealed the changes in the oxidative status of wheatgrass, in response to the different light treatments. However, the dichromatic light with blue ≥50% of the total PFD appeared to be the best combination, guarantying good wheatgrass yield, increasing pigment content, and reducing H2O2 and MDA when compared to the other light treatments. Our findings also contribute to explaining the available literature on the effect of these kinds of light on the increase in phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in einkorn wheatgrass.
Highlights
Wheatgrass is currently recognized by scientific literature and consumers as an important source of many health-promoting compounds.[1,2] In particular, the wheatgrass obtained from einkorn (T. monococcumL. ssp. monococcum) shows a high content of polyphenols, phenolic acids, and other antioxidants.[3−5] Recently, Benincasa et al.[6] demonstrated that the amount and composition of antioxidants in einkorn wheatgrass can be sharply affected by the light spectrum
Einkorn wheatgrass grown under wide spectrum (WIDE) was the tallest, but the fresh weight was intermediate between that shown by the samples developed under blue- and red-only monochromatic lights
Plants adapt morphological and photosynthetic responses as a consequence of the light quality and quantity, and this is pivotal for their survival in a variety of dynamic environments.[20]
Summary
Wheatgrass is currently recognized by scientific literature and consumers as an important source of many health-promoting compounds (e.g., phenolic compounds, carotenoids, etc.).[1,2] In particular, the wheatgrass obtained from einkorn (T. monococcumL. ssp. monococcum) shows a high content of polyphenols, phenolic acids, and other antioxidants.[3−5] Recently, Benincasa et al.[6] demonstrated that the amount and composition of antioxidants in einkorn wheatgrass can be sharply affected by the light spectrum. The total polyphenol content can be increased by the blue radiation, and the total phenolic acid content by both the blue and red radiations, when compared to the white radiation used as the control treatment. It is noteworthy that blue and red lights can affect the plant morphology, physiology and development, photosynthesis, and primary and secondary metabolism (i.e., the synthesis of some phytochemicals).[7] there is a large literature on the effect of blue:red light on the nutritional traits of plants, its role on the physiological, biochemical, and nutritional traits of wheatgrass, sprouts, and microgreens still remains unclear or unavailable for most plant species.[7,10]
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