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Artificial daylength enhancement (pre-sunrise and post-sunset) with blue and red led lights affects tomato plant development, yield, and fruit nutritional quality

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Abstract

In this research, the combined effect of red and blue LED lights on tomato plants and fruit was investigated. Selected tomato plants were illuminated with a combination of red light (RL) and blue light (BL) at a ratio of (1:1) with a combined photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 138 ± 5 µmol m−2 s−1. This illumination was installed above the plants and was terminated at different stages of plant growth, namely, at 50% flowering (FLW) and when fruit were mature green (MG). The plants were allowed to receive natural light during the day and were exposed to the light treatments 3 h after sunset and 3 h before sunrise. Control plants received only natural light. Growth, yield, and quality parameters were assessed. Both light treatments, whether terminated at FLW or MG, significantly enhanced plant height, number of leaves, and branching, with light treatment until the MG stage having a lesser, but nonetheless significant, effect. Plants that were treated with additional light until fruit were MG had a significantly increased total fruit mass compared with other treatments. Surprisingly, plants treated until FLW showed a significant increase in number of fruit per plant. Both treatments did not have a significant effect on colour parameters, while light treatments, particularly treatment until MG, were able to significantly enhance chlorophyll degradation in fruit. In addition, both light treatments resulted in a significant increase in fruit lycopene, the most important carotenoid in red tomato, while also potentially increasing the concentration of β-carotene, as well as total soluble solids (TSS), phenolics, and vitamin C. Treating tomato plants with a combination of LED light sources only until FLW was sufficient to enhance growth, yield, and antioxidant phytonutrients in tomatoes with no additional increase with further light treatment.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank FoodBev SETA and Moses Kotane Institute for financial support of BLN.

Funding

We are grateful to Moses Kotane Institute and FoodBev SETA for funding BLN.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Horticultural Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa

    Bonga Lewis Ngcobo & Isa Bertling

  2. School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Agrometeorology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa

    Alistair David Clulow

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  1. Bonga Lewis Ngcobo
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  2. Isa Bertling
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  3. Alistair David Clulow
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Contributions

BLN: Investigation, conceptualisation, methodology, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, writing and revision. IB: Conceptualisation, methodology, data interpretation, reviewing and revision. ADC: Conceptualisation, methodology, data collection and interpretation. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Bonga Lewis Ngcobo.

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Communicated by Young Yeol Cho.

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Ngcobo, B.L., Bertling, I. & Clulow, A.D. Artificial daylength enhancement (pre-sunrise and post-sunset) with blue and red led lights affects tomato plant development, yield, and fruit nutritional quality. Hortic. Environ. Biotechnol. 63, 847–856 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-022-00447-1

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