Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in Lettuce

ABSTRACT Red and blue lights are the most effective spectral components absorbed by plants and are typically applied in a constant spectrum in plant factory agricultural practices. Research and application of non‐constant light modes are relatively rare. In this study, we examined the impacts of var...

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Main Authors: Yanke Liu, Yiqun Chen, Rongcheng Lin, Ep Heuvelink, Yang Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Food and Energy Security
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70079
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author Yanke Liu
Yiqun Chen
Rongcheng Lin
Ep Heuvelink
Yang Li
author_facet Yanke Liu
Yiqun Chen
Rongcheng Lin
Ep Heuvelink
Yang Li
author_sort Yanke Liu
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Red and blue lights are the most effective spectral components absorbed by plants and are typically applied in a constant spectrum in plant factory agricultural practices. Research and application of non‐constant light modes are relatively rare. In this study, we examined the impacts of varying blue light photon intensity and durations at 5‐, 15‐, 30‐, and 45‐min intervals of intermittent exposure on the growth and development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in plant factories while maintaining a constant red light photon flux and daily light integral (DLI). Compared to the constant light condition, intermittent blue light irradiation treatments accelerated the emergence of the leafy head trait in lettuce without compromising photosynthetic capacity and biomass. Specifically, intermittent blue light treatment with 15‐min intervals led to a reduction of 8 days in the time needed for half of the lettuce plants to reach the heading stage. Furthermore, the petiole bending angle in treated lettuce was just 70.2% of that observed under constant light conditions, with strong correlations between multiple hormone levels and bending angle in petioles. Transcriptome sequencing analyses revealed significant differential expression of signaling‐related genes between constant and intermittent blue light treatments. The transient and dynamic expression of light‐responsive and hormone metabolism‐related genes indicated that 15‐min intermittent blue light exposure better maintained the rhythmic differential expression of response genes, leading to different hormone accumulations and consequently accelerating the development of leafy heads.
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spelling doaj-art-a90cd15e96f5436b9b7e68df446b425e2025-08-20T02:18:55ZengWileyFood and Energy Security2048-36942025-03-01142n/an/a10.1002/fes3.70079Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in LettuceYanke Liu0Yiqun Chen1Rongcheng Lin2Ep Heuvelink3Yang Li4Plant Factory R&D Center Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaInstitute of Photobiological Industry Fujian Sanan Sino‐Science Photobiotech Co., Ltd. Xiamen ChinaXianghu Laboratory Hangzhou ChinaHorticulture and Product Physiology, Department of Plant Sciences Wageningen University and Research Wageningen the NetherlandsPlant Factory R&D Center Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaABSTRACT Red and blue lights are the most effective spectral components absorbed by plants and are typically applied in a constant spectrum in plant factory agricultural practices. Research and application of non‐constant light modes are relatively rare. In this study, we examined the impacts of varying blue light photon intensity and durations at 5‐, 15‐, 30‐, and 45‐min intervals of intermittent exposure on the growth and development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in plant factories while maintaining a constant red light photon flux and daily light integral (DLI). Compared to the constant light condition, intermittent blue light irradiation treatments accelerated the emergence of the leafy head trait in lettuce without compromising photosynthetic capacity and biomass. Specifically, intermittent blue light treatment with 15‐min intervals led to a reduction of 8 days in the time needed for half of the lettuce plants to reach the heading stage. Furthermore, the petiole bending angle in treated lettuce was just 70.2% of that observed under constant light conditions, with strong correlations between multiple hormone levels and bending angle in petioles. Transcriptome sequencing analyses revealed significant differential expression of signaling‐related genes between constant and intermittent blue light treatments. The transient and dynamic expression of light‐responsive and hormone metabolism‐related genes indicated that 15‐min intermittent blue light exposure better maintained the rhythmic differential expression of response genes, leading to different hormone accumulations and consequently accelerating the development of leafy heads.https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70079leafy headslettucelight signalingplant factory
spellingShingle Yanke Liu
Yiqun Chen
Rongcheng Lin
Ep Heuvelink
Yang Li
Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in Lettuce
Food and Energy Security
leafy heads
lettuce
light signaling
plant factory
title Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in Lettuce
title_full Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in Lettuce
title_fullStr Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in Lettuce
title_full_unstemmed Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in Lettuce
title_short Intermittent Supplemental Irradiation With Blue Light Promotes Leafy Heads in Lettuce
title_sort intermittent supplemental irradiation with blue light promotes leafy heads in lettuce
topic leafy heads
lettuce
light signaling
plant factory
url https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70079
work_keys_str_mv AT yankeliu intermittentsupplementalirradiationwithbluelightpromotesleafyheadsinlettuce
AT yiqunchen intermittentsupplementalirradiationwithbluelightpromotesleafyheadsinlettuce
AT rongchenglin intermittentsupplementalirradiationwithbluelightpromotesleafyheadsinlettuce
AT epheuvelink intermittentsupplementalirradiationwithbluelightpromotesleafyheadsinlettuce
AT yangli intermittentsupplementalirradiationwithbluelightpromotesleafyheadsinlettuce