Abstract
In Northern Europe, the use of light–emitting diodes (LEDs) is widely adopted in protected horticulture, enabling to enhance plant growth by ensuring needed radiative fluxes throughout seasons. Contrarily, the use of artificial lighting in Mediterranean greenhouse still finds limited applications. In this study, the effects of supplemental LED interlighting on vegetative development, fruit growth, yield, and fruit quality of high-wire tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. ‘Siranzo’) during spring and summer season were addressed in a hydroponic greenhouse in Italy. Plants were either grown under natural solar radiation (control), or by adding supplemental LED interlighting. LED treatment featured red (R) and blue (B) light (RB ratio of 3) and a photosynthetic photon flux density of 170 µmol m−2 s−1 for 16 h d−1. Supplemental LED interlighting enhanced yield as a result of increased fruit weight and dimension. While no effects on soluble solids content and fruit color at harvesting were observed, supplemental LED interlighting accelerated ripening by one week in spring and two weeks in summer and this also resulted in increased cumulated productivity (+16%) as compared to control treatment. Overall, supplemental LED interlighting can represent a feasible technology for tomato greenhouse production also in the Mediterranean region.
Highlights
Supplemental light–emitting diodes (LEDs) interlighting can represent a feasible technology for tomato greenhouse production in the Mediterranean region
Tomato global production has been increasing along the past years up to 182 million tons in 2018 [1]. This increment is related to an expansion of the greenhouse vegetable industry and the innovation in cultivation technologies, which have resulted in yield increases [2,3]
This study investigates the effects of supplemental LED interlighting lamps on plant morphologic development, fruit yield, and fruit quality, applied in a high-wire tomato greenhouse located in Northern Italy
Summary
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops produced worldwide, especially in the Mediterranean area where it represents a major component of the traditional cuisine.Tomato global production has been increasing along the past years up to 182 million tons in 2018 [1].This increment is related to an expansion of the greenhouse vegetable industry (occurred since the mid-1990s both in Europe and North America) and the innovation in cultivation technologies (e.g., grafting, hydroponics), which have resulted in yield increases [2,3].Agronomy 2020, 10, 1002; doi:10.3390/agronomy10071002 www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomyRecently, among developed economies, the use of high-tech greenhouse facilities for vegetable crop cultivation is spreading, allowing off-season production, higher yields, better input management and control, improvement of the product quality and higher marketable value [4]. Tomato global production has been increasing along the past years up to 182 million tons in 2018 [1]. This increment is related to an expansion of the greenhouse vegetable industry (occurred since the mid-1990s both in Europe and North America) and the innovation in cultivation technologies (e.g., grafting, hydroponics), which have resulted in yield increases [2,3]. Solar light interception can be limiting for the whole plant during wintertime, while the quantification of yield reduction possibly caused by frequent cloudy or rainy days in other seasons still remains unclear [10]
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