Growth and quality of sprouts of six vegetables cultivated under different light intensity and quality

Abstract

Vegetable sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, clover, kohlrabi, radish, and red radish) were cultivated under three monochromatic light regimes (red, green, and blue) with five different light intensities (0, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 µmol·m−2·s−1) to investigate the effects of light intensity and quality on the growth and total phenolic content of the vegetable sprouts. The light quality and intensity had a direct effect on hypocotyl elongation in vegetable sprouts. Increasing blue light intensity enhanced suppression of hypocotyl elongation in all of the vegetable sprouts. Red light also reduced hypocotyl length in alfalfa and clover sprouts comparing those grown in darkness. The fresh weight of broccoli and radish sprouts markedly increased when red light intensity was 100 µmol·m−2·s−1; however, light use efficiency (LUE) decreased with increasing light intensity. Total phenolic content was reduced by increasing red light intensity in alfalfa and red radish sprouts.