Growth, Nutritional Quality and Health-Promoting Compounds in Chinese Kale Grown under Different Ratios of Red:Blue LED Lights

Yiting Zhang,Jiazeng Ji,Wei Su,Shiwei Song,Houcheng Liu

doi:10.3390/agronomy10091248

Yiting Zhang, Jiazeng Ji + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091248

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Abstract

Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra Bailey) is one of the healthiest vegetables which is rich in health-promoting phytochemicals, including carotenoids, vitamin C, amino acid, glucosinolates, anthocyanin, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The effects of different LEDs (white LED, 8R1B (red:blue = 8:1), 6R3B (red:blue = 6:3)) on nutritional quality in flower stalks and leaves of Chinese kale were investigated in this study. 8R1B and 6R3B were more effective than white LED light for improvement of growth and quality of Chinese kale. Flower stalk contained a higher content of nutritional compounds than leaves in Chinese kale. 8R1B significantly promoted plant growth, accumulation of biomass and soluble sugar content in flower stalks. In contrast, 6R3B significantly reduced plant dry matter, but it promoted nutritional compounds accumulation in flower stalks, such as soluble proteins, total glucosinolate, total anthocyanin, flavonoid, antioxidant activity. In addition, 6R3B enable to increase the amount of sourness and umami tasty amino acids, as well as precursor amino acids of glucosinolate. Accumulation balance of biomass and nutritional compounds is related to the ratio of red to blue light. Generally, 6R3B was more conducive to the enrichment of health-promoting compounds, as well as umami in Chinese kale.

Highlights

Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra Bailey) is an original Chinese leafy vegetable of the Brassicaceae family
Shoot elongation was highly promoted by 6R3B and 8R1B compared to white LED, the highest plant height was observed in 8R1B treatment, followed by 6R3B, the white LED (Table 1)
In Chinese kale, flower stalks contained a higher content of antioxidants and nutritional compounds than leaves. 8R1B significantly promoted plant growth and accumulation of biomass, carotenoid, β-carotene and soluble sugar. 6R3B was more conducive to the enrichment of nutritional compounds, such as essential amino acid, soluble protein, total anthocyanin, antioxidant activity (DPPH and Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP)), etc

Summary

Introduction

Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra Bailey) is an original Chinese leafy vegetable of the Brassicaceae family. It was widely natural distributed in South China and Southeast Asia, a small amount in Japan, Europe and America [1]. Vertical farms are widely being used in. Red LED light was important for the development of the photo-morphogenesis, while blue could affect chlorophyll concentrations, photo-morphogenesis, stomatal opening, and antioxidant accumulation [12,13]. Supplemental red light increased phenolic content, and blue light enhanced accumulation of anthocyanins and carotenoids in baby leaf lettuce [14]

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