Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory

The duration of light exposure is a crucial environmental factor that regulates various physiological processes in plants, with optimal timing differing between species and varieties. To assess the effect of photoperiods on the growth and metabolites of a specific truss tomato cultivar, three photop...

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Main Authors: Shaofang Wu, Rongguang Li, Chongxing Bu, Cuifang Zhu, Chen Miao, Yongxue Zhang, Jiawei Cui, Yuping Jiang, Xiaotao Ding
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/22/3119
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author Shaofang Wu
Rongguang Li
Chongxing Bu
Cuifang Zhu
Chen Miao
Yongxue Zhang
Jiawei Cui
Yuping Jiang
Xiaotao Ding
author_facet Shaofang Wu
Rongguang Li
Chongxing Bu
Cuifang Zhu
Chen Miao
Yongxue Zhang
Jiawei Cui
Yuping Jiang
Xiaotao Ding
author_sort Shaofang Wu
collection DOAJ
description The duration of light exposure is a crucial environmental factor that regulates various physiological processes in plants, with optimal timing differing between species and varieties. To assess the effect of photoperiods on the growth and metabolites of a specific truss tomato cultivar, three photoperiods (12 h, 16 h, and 20 h) were tested in a plant factory. Growth parameters, including plant height, stem diameter, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, photosynthetic characteristics, mineral content, and metabolome profiles, were analyzed under these conditions. The results indicated that prolonged light exposure enhanced plant growth, with the highest photosynthesis and chlorophyll content observed under a 20 h photoperiod. However, no significant correlation was observed between the photoperiod and the mineral element content, particularly for macro minerals. Metabolome analysis revealed that different photoperiods influenced the accumulation of metabolites, particularly in the lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and membrane transport pathways. Long periods of light would enhance photosynthesis and metabolism, improving the rapid growth of tomato seedlings. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the responses of truss tomato cultivars to varying photoperiods in plant factories and proposes an optimizable method for accelerating the progress of tomato seedling cultivation.
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issn 2223-7747
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Plants
spelling doaj-art-2ba8cbbb02ef458694ff661d7f4599142025-08-20T02:05:01ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-11-011322311910.3390/plants13223119Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant FactoryShaofang Wu0Rongguang Li1Chongxing Bu2Cuifang Zhu3Chen Miao4Yongxue Zhang5Jiawei Cui6Yuping Jiang7Xiaotao Ding8Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, ChinaXinjiang Kechuang Tianda Agricultural Engineering Co., Ltd., Changji 831100, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, ChinaCollege of Ecological Technology and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, ChinaThe duration of light exposure is a crucial environmental factor that regulates various physiological processes in plants, with optimal timing differing between species and varieties. To assess the effect of photoperiods on the growth and metabolites of a specific truss tomato cultivar, three photoperiods (12 h, 16 h, and 20 h) were tested in a plant factory. Growth parameters, including plant height, stem diameter, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, photosynthetic characteristics, mineral content, and metabolome profiles, were analyzed under these conditions. The results indicated that prolonged light exposure enhanced plant growth, with the highest photosynthesis and chlorophyll content observed under a 20 h photoperiod. However, no significant correlation was observed between the photoperiod and the mineral element content, particularly for macro minerals. Metabolome analysis revealed that different photoperiods influenced the accumulation of metabolites, particularly in the lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and membrane transport pathways. Long periods of light would enhance photosynthesis and metabolism, improving the rapid growth of tomato seedlings. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the responses of truss tomato cultivars to varying photoperiods in plant factories and proposes an optimizable method for accelerating the progress of tomato seedling cultivation.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/22/3119photoperiodtomatogrowthphotosynthesismineral elementsmetabolome
spellingShingle Shaofang Wu
Rongguang Li
Chongxing Bu
Cuifang Zhu
Chen Miao
Yongxue Zhang
Jiawei Cui
Yuping Jiang
Xiaotao Ding
Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory
Plants
photoperiod
tomato
growth
photosynthesis
mineral elements
metabolome
title Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory
title_full Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory
title_fullStr Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory
title_full_unstemmed Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory
title_short Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory
title_sort photoperiodic effect on growth photosynthesis mineral elements and metabolome of tomato seedlings in a plant factory
topic photoperiod
tomato
growth
photosynthesis
mineral elements
metabolome
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/22/3119
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