Abstract
Plants sharply adapt their growth and physiology to light availability. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of light quantity and quality manipulation on growth, morphological traits, pigment and secondary metabolites content in basil as well as comprehending the mechanisms which regulate such responses.Two experiments were carried out under greenhouse in 2014 (spring transplanting, Spr_Tr) and 2015 (summer transplanting, Sum_Tr). On a complete randomized block design, plants of basil were exposed to three modifications of the transmitted solar radiation with colored plastic films: yellow (YF), green (GF) and blue films (BF), plus a control (Control).Leaf pairs, axillary shoots, total fresh and dry biomass, specific leaf area, soil-plant analysis development, reflectance indices (Normalized Different Vegetation Index670, NDVI670, and Optimized Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index, OSAVI), total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, single and total polyphenol content and radical scavenging activity were recorded and examined.Shading induced stem elongation, a greater leaf area expansion and a lower leaf thickness; moreover, shaded plants increased chlorophyll accumulation (on average +29.4% and +21.6% during Spr_Tr and Sum_Tr, respectively). YF treatment allowed always the highest biomass accumulation (averaged over crop cycle: 2.1 and 3.4 g plant−1 during Spr_Tr and Sum_Tr, respectively).OSAVI and NDVI670 seem the more suitable indicators for chlorophyll accumulation. Light manipulation influenced specific phenolic compounds concentration. The application of colored films lowered rosmarinic and caftaric acids (by 29.8% and 33.2%, respectively, averaged over treatments and crop cycle). Antiradical activity was linearly correlated only with caffeic acid.Light manipulation represents a promising tool for the manipulation of basil morphological, physiological and quality traits.
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