Effects of different light spectra on final biomass production and nutritional quality of two microgreens

To improve microgreen yield and nutritional quality, suitable light spectra can be used. Two species—amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) and turnip greens (Brassica rapa L. subsp. oleifera (DC.) Metzg)—were studied. The experiment was performed in a controlled LED environment growth chamber (day/night temperatures of 24 ± 2◦C, 16 h photoperiod, and 50/60% relative humidity). Three emission wavelengths of a light-emitting diode (LED) were adopted for microgreen lighting: (1) white LED (W); (2) blue LED (B), and (3) red LED (R); the photosynthetic photon flux densities were 200 ± 5 µmol for all light spectra. The response to light spectra was often species-specific, and the interaction effects were significant. Morphobiometric parameters were influenced by species, light, and their interaction; at harvest, in both species, the fresh weight was significantly greater under B. In amaranth, Chl a was maximized in B, whereas it did not change with light in turnip greens. Sugar content varied with the species but not w