Impact of varying light spectra on the biochemical and physiological parameters of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)
Keywords:
chlorophylls, SPAD, photosystem II efficiency, indoorAbstract
The search for plants that can increasingly adapt to diverse environmental conditions has intensified in recent years. In order to understand the biochemical and physiological responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) to light, plants of this species were grown under monochromatic LEDs emitting blue, warm white, blue + red, and red light, as well as under a comparative condition of natural light. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with five lighting treatments, four cultivationcycles as blocks, and six plants per experimental unit. The production of total soluble sugars, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophylls, carotenoids, photosystem II quantum efficiency, and the SPAD index was analyzed. Among the biochemical analyses conducted, sugar production was reduced only in plants exposed to warm white LEDs. Regarding chlorophyll a, total chlorophylls, and carotenoids, monochromatic blue and blue + red LEDs stood out, whereas chlorophyll b production did not differamong treatments under the environmental conditions of this experiment. Based on physiological analyses, photosystem II quantum efficiency was higher in plants irradiated with blue and natural light, while the SPAD index was highest under blue + red, blue, and natural light. Blue and blue + red spectra promoted superior photosynthetic performance and pigment accumulation, indicating that these wavelengths are more suitable for optimizing physiological quality of lettuce grown under controlled environments.
References
1. Paradiso R, Proietti S. Light-quality manipulation to control plant growth and photomorphogenesis in greenhouse horticulture: the state of the art and the opportunities of modern LED systems. J Plant Growth Regul. 2022;41(2):742-80. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s00344-021-10337-y
2. Kerbauy GB. Fisiologia vegetal. Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Koogan; 2004.
3. Silva LM. Management of lighting in indoor cultivation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) [dissertation]. Campinas: Agronomic Institute of Campinas; 2021.
4. Jan MF, Li M, Liaqat W, Altaf MT, Liu C, Ahmad H, et al. Fluorescência da clorofila: uma ferramenta inteligente para o melhoramento do milho. Cereal Res Commun. 2025;53(2):617-48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-024-00573-9
5. Bolhàr-Nordenkampf HR, Öquist G. Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool in photosynthesis research. In: Hall DO, Scurlock JMO, Bolhàr-Nordenkampf HR, Leegood RC, Long SP, editors. Photosynthesis and production in a changing environment: a field and laboratory manual. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands; 1993. p. 193-206. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1566-7_12
6. Taiz L, Zeiger E, Møller IM, Murphy A. Plant physiology and development. 6th ed. Porto Alegre: Artmed; 2017.
7. Larcher W. Ecofisiologia vegetal. 3rd ed. São Carlos: RiMa; 2006.
8. Mendili M, Khadhri A. Chlorophylls: the verdant world of photosynthetic pigments. In: Sharma S, Sharma B, Singh D, editors. Microbial colorants: chemistry, biosynthesis and applications. Hoboken: Wiley; 2025. p. 223-39. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394287888.ch9
9. Lin KH, Huang MY, Huang WD, Hsu MH, Yang ZW, Yang CM. The effects of red, blue, and white LEDs on the growth, development, and edible quality of hydroponically grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata). Sci Hortic. 2013;150:86-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2012.10.002
10. Dadhich A, Kumar R, Dhiman M, Sharma L, Sharma MM. Comparative assessment of chlorophyll content in various plants using SPAD-502 plus. Recent Adv Mater Sci Comput Tech. 2023;2723:020025. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0139328
11. Dai M, Tan X, Ye Z, Ren J, Chen X, Kong D. Optimal light intensity for lettuce growth, quality, and photosynthesis in plant factories. Plants. 2024;13(18):2616. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13182616
12. Chen XL, Xue XZ, Guo WZ, Wang LC, Qiao XJ. Growth and nutritional properties of lettuce affected by mixed irradiation of white and supplemental LED light. Sci Hortic. 2016;200:111-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.01.007
13. Zhang X, He D, Niu G, Yan Z, Song J. Effects of environment lighting on the growth, photosynthesis, and quality of hydroponic lettuce in a plant factory. Int J Agric Biol Eng. 2018;11(2):33-40. https://doi.org/10.25165/j.ijabe.20181102.3
14. Alves CFG. Germination, biochemistry and initial growth of Cereus jamacaru seedlings under different light qualities [dissertation]. Arapiraca: Federal University of Alagoas; 2019.
15. Furlani PR. Instruções para o cultivo de hortaliças de folhas pela técnica de hidroponia NFT. Campinas: Instituto Agronômico; 1998. (IAC Documents, 168).
16. Hiscox JD, Israelstam GF. A method for the extraction of chlorophyll from leaf tissue without maceration. Can J Bot. 1979;57(12):1332-4. https://doi.org/10.1139/b79-163
17. Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F. Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related compounds. Anal Chem. 1956;28(3):350-6.
18. Rehman M, Ullah S, Bao Y, Wang B, Peng D, Liu L. Light- emitting diodes: whether an efficient source of light for indoor plants? Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2017;24(32):24743-52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0333-3
19. Chen XL, Wang LC, Li T, Yang QC, Guo WZ. Sugar accumulation and growth of lettuce exposed to different lighting modes of red and blue LED light. Sci Rep. 2019;9:6915. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43498-8
20. Amoozgar A, Mohammadi A, Sabzalian MR. Impact of light-emitting diode irradiation on photosynthesis, phytochemical composition and mineral element content of lettuce cv. Grizzly.Photosynthetica. 2017;55(1):85-95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0216-8
21. Cabral NN. How do spectral qualities of LED lights applied in the in vitro cultivation of Brazilian orchids influence morphophysiological and biochemical parameters during acclimatization? [dissertation]. Florianópolis: Federal University of Santa Catarina; 2021.
22. Johkan M, Shoji K, Goto F, Hashida S, Yoshihara T. Blue LED irradiation improves seedling quality and growth after transplanting in red leaf lettuce. HortScience. 2010;45(12):1809-14. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.45.12.1809
23. Bukhov NG, Drozdova IS, Bondar VV, Mokronosov AT. Blue, red and blue+red light control of chlorophyll content and CO2 gas exchange in barley leaves. Physiol Plant. 1992;85(4):632-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1992.tb04765.x
24. Cutolo EA, Guardini Z, Dall'Osto L, Bassi R. A paler shade of green: engineering cellular chlorophyll content to enhance photosynthesis in crowded environments. New Phytol. 2023;239(5):1567-83. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19064
25. Eugenio da Silva A, de Souza Ferraz RL, Paulo da Silva J, da Silva Costa P, Viegas PRA, de Brito Neto JF, et al. Microclimate changes, photomorphogenesis and water consumption of 'Moringa oleifera' cuttings under different light spectrums and exogenous phytohormone concentrations. Aust J Crop Sci. 2020;14(5):751-60.
26. Vieira G. Gap dynamics in managed Amazonian forest: structural and ecophysiological aspects [thesis]. Oxford: University of Oxford; 1996.
27. Pattaro MC. The influence of blue light on the morphology of lettuce plants grown under different light qualities and intensities [dissertation]. Maringá: State University of Maringá; 2019.
28. Mariz-Ponte N, Martins S, Gonçalves A, Correia CM, Ribeiro C, Dias MC, et al. O potencial uso de UV-A e UV-B para melhorar a qualidade e preferência do tomate pelos consumidores. Sci Hortic. 2019;246:777-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.11.058
29. Schulze PSC, Barreira LA, Pereira HGC, Perales JA, Varela JC. Light emitting diodes applied to microalgal production. Trends Biotechnol. 2014;32(8):422-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2014.06.001
30. Lazzarini LES, Pacheco F, Silva ST, Coelho AD, Medeiros APR, Bertolucci S, et al. Utilização de diodo emissor de luz (LED) na fisiologia de plantas cultivadas – revisão. Sci Agrar Parana. 2017;16(2):137-44.
31. Landi M, Zivcak M, Sytar O, Brestic M, Allakhverdiev SI. Plasticity of photosynthetic processes and secondary metabolites under monochromatic light: a review. Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg. 2020;1861(1):148131.
32. Marani IKH, Rosa M, Silva FB, Alves NVS, Oliveira NR, Cavalcante WSS. Avaliação da utilização de diodos emissores de luz (LEDs) sobre as características morfofisiológicas de plantas de Alternanthera brasiliana Kuntze. In: Anais do XVI Congresso de Iniciação Científica da Universidade de Rio Verde; 2022; Rio Verde. Rio Verde: CICURV; 2022. 16(1). https://doi.org/10.29327/1244474.16-88
33. Centofante AR. Light quality on the morphoanatomy and physiology of Campomanesia pubescens seedlings. Sci Hortic. 2020;259:108761.
34. Yokoyama AH, Ribeiro RH, Balbinot Júnior AA, Franchini JC, Debiasi H, Zucareli C. Índice de área foliar e SPAD da soja após a safrinha e adubação nitrogenada e sua relação com a produtividade de grãos. Rev Ciênc Agrár. 2018;41(4):953-62. https://doi.org/10.19084/RCA18153
35. Shin YS, Lee MJ, Lee ES, Ahn JH, Kim MK, Lee JE, et al. Efeito do tratamento com diodos emissores de luz no crescimento e na qualidade da alface (Lactuca sativa L. 'Oak Leaf'). J Life Sci. 2014;24(2):148-53. https://doi.org/10.5352/JLS.2014.24.2.148
36. Kobayashi K, Amore T, Lazaro M. Diodos emissores de luz (LEDs) para alface hidropônica em miniatura. Optics and Photonics Journal. 2013;3(1):74-7.
37. Ebrahimi P, Shokramraji Z, Tavakkoli S, Mihaylova D, Lante A. Chlorophylls as natural bioactive compounds in food by-products: a critical review. Plants. 2023;12(7):1533. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12071533
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Revista Ceres
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
