Blue light dosage affects carotenoids and tocopherols in microgreens

Abstract

Mustard, beet and parsley were grown to harvest time under selected LEDs: 638 + 660 + 731 + 0% 445 nm; 638 + 660 + 731 + 8% 445 nm; 638 + 660 + 731 + 16% 445 nm; 638 + 660 + 731 + 25% 445 nm; 638 + 660 + 731 + 33% 445 nm. From 1.2 to 4.3 times higher concentrations of chlorophylls a and b, carotenoids, α- and β-carotenes, lutein, violaxanthin and zeaxanthin was found under blue 33% treatment in comparison to lower blue light dosages. Meanwhile, the accumulation of metabolites, which were not directly connected with light reactions, such as tocopherols, was more influenced by lower (16%) blue light dosage, increasing about 1.3 times. Thus, microgreen enrichment of carotenoid and xanthophyll pigments may be achieved using higher (16–33%) blue light intensities. Changes in metabolite quantities were not the result of changes of other carotenoid concentration, but were more influenced by light treatment and depended on the species. Significant quantitative changes in response to blue light percentage were obtained for both directly and not directly light-dependent metabolite groups.