Effects Of Different Light Spectra On Secondary Specialized Metabolite Accumulation And Plant Resistance Mechanisms

Light is the main source of energy for the primary process that sustains life on our planet, known as photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the strategy adopted by many living organisms for capturing and incorporating energy, and it is under this context that light is primarily experienced, explored, and exploited. Plants perceive information from the ambient environment and communicate with other organisms using light. They have developed a plethora of photoreceptors that permit this communication with the surrounding environment. Additionally, the physical properties of light, such as the spectral quality, irradiance, intensity, and photoperiod, play an integral role in the morphogenesis, growth, and metabolism of many biochemical pathways in plants. To facilitate photosynthesis in controlled environments, light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) have been shown to offer interesting prospects for use in plant lighting designs in controlled-environment agriculture (greenhouses) and growth chambers for in vitro cultures. In high-technology greenhouses (for instance, vertical agriculture), artificial light may assume both assimilative (optimizing photosynthetic efficiency) and control functionality (guiding growth and development or the synthesis and accumulation of plant metabolites). In vitro cultures are regulated by different factors, and among them, light is the most important.

We are delighted to announce the release of a highly anticipated Special Issue of our esteemed journal, which focuses on exploring the profound impact of LED (Light-Emitting Diode) spectra on the growth and quality of plants. This collection of pioneering research articles presents an in-depth examination of the interactions between LED light and plant physiology, shedding light on the future of sustainable agriculture and horticulture. Within this Special Issue, leading experts and scientists from around the globe delve into the intricate relationship between LED spectra and various aspects of plant development. By meticulously investigating the effects of different wavelengths, intensities, and combinations of LED light on diverse plant species, this compilation promises to revolutionize our understanding of photosynthetic processes and optimize cultivation practices. The articles presented in this Special Issue encompass a wide range of disciplines, including plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and biotechnology. They provide captivating insights into the ways in which LED spectra influence plant growth, biomass accumulation, photosynthesis, morphogenesis, flowering, fruiting, secondary metabolite production, and overall crop quality.

Photosynthesis has been an important field of research for more than a century, but the present concerns about energy, environment and climate have greatly intensified interest in and research on this topic. Research has progressed rapidly in recent years, and this book is an interesting read for an audience who is concerned with various ways of harnessing solar energy. Our understanding of photosynthesis can now be said to have reached encyclopedic dimensions. There have been, in the past, many good books at various levels. Our book is expected to fulfill the needs of advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in branches of biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and bioengineering because photosynthesis is the basis of future advances in producing more food, more biomass, more fuel, and new chemicals for our expanding global human population. Further, the basics of photosynthesis are and will be used not only for the above, but in artificial photosynthesis, an important emerging field where chemists, researchers and engineers of solar energy systems will play a major role.

Light quality can have a profound effect on many aspects of plant development. In this thesis, the influence of light quality on yield, morphology, and secondary metabolite profiles was evaluated in basil, strawberry, and cannabis, and the acclimation to light quality was quantified in lettuce and strawberry. These experiments were conducted using four fixed light spectra described as the "Red-blue (RB) Blade", "Red-green-blue (RGB) Blade", "Far-red (FR) Blade", and "Red-blue + red-green-blue (RB+RGB) Blade" (the term blade refers to the industry nomenclature for this lamp configuration), as well as an array of nine variable-spectra LED arrays. Growing basil plants under the RB and RGB Blades showed the two spectra to produce statistically comparable profiles of volatiles in basil leaf extracts. Growing strawberry plants under RB, RGB, RB+RGB, and FR Blades, the FR spectrum produced plants with significantly longer petioles than the RGB spectrum. Berry flavour was unaffected by any of the light spectra, with berry juice being comparable in sugar content, pH, and total acid content. Analysis of volatiles in berry juice was inconclusive, with irregular profiles between replications. Deploying the RB and RGB Blades below cannabis canopies as supplemental light sources resulted in a significant impact on yield and secondary metabolite profiles with both Blades compared to canopies with no sub-canopy lighting. The RGB Blades made the greatest impact on modifying terpene content, and the RB Blades produced the most homogenous bud cannabinoid and terpene profile throughout the canopy. Exploring the potential photosynthetic acclimation of lettuce and strawberry plants to light qualities over time, both species were grown to vegetative maturity under various fixed spectra to acclimatize the plants to given light environments. After acclimation, plants were rapidly subjected to many different light qualities (30 - 60 minutes each), with whole-plant photosynthesis measured under each light quality. Plants preconditioned to certain basal light spectra were able to achieve significantly different photosynethic rates in various post-conditioning light qualities. This thesis concludes that spectral quality does significantly modify plant morphology and secondary metabolism, and spectral acclimation can have significant effects on whole-plant photosynthesis. The observations regarding plant acclimation are novel and have meaningful consequences in both research and commercial production, warranting further exploration.

Chlorophyll a Fluorescence: A Signature of Photosynthesis highlights chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence as a convenient, non-invasive, highly sensitive, rapid and quantitative probe of oxygenic photosynthesis. Thirty-one chapters, authored by 58 international experts, provide a solid foundation of the basic theory, as well as of the application of the rich information contained in the Chl a fluorescence signal as it relates to photosynthesis and plant productivity. Although the primary photochemical reactions of photosynthesis are highly efficient, a small fraction of absorbed photons escapes as Chl fluorescence, and this fraction varies with metabolic state, providing a basis for monitoring quantitatively various processes of photosynthesis. The book explains the mechanisms with which plants defend themselves against environmental stresses (excessive light, extreme temperatures, drought, hyper-osmolarity, heavy metals and UV). It also includes discussion on fluorescence imaging of leaves and cells and the remote sensing of Chl fluorescence from terrestrial, airborne, and satellite bases. The book is intended for use by graduate students, beginning researchers and advanced undergraduates in the areas of integrative plant biology, cellular and molecular biology, plant biology, biochemistry, biophysics, plant physiology, global ecology and agriculture.

Jointly published with INRA, Paris. This book covers all aspects of the transfer of nitrogen from the soil and air to a final resting place in the seed protein of a crop plant. It describes the physiological and molecular mechanisms of ammonium and nitrate transport and assimilation, including symbiotic nitrogen fixation by the Rhizobiacea. Amino acid metabolism and nitrogen traffic during plant growth and development and details of protein biosynthesis in the seeds are also extensively covered. Finally, the effects of the application of nitrogen fertilisers on plant growth, crop yield and the environment are discussed. Written by international experts in their field, Plant Nitrogen is essential reading for all plant biochemists, biotechnologists, molecular biologists and physiologists as well as plant breeders, agricultural engineers, agronomists and phytochemists.

This book presents a comprehensive treatise on the advances in the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for sustainable crop production and describes the latest photomorphogenesis research findings. It introduces readers to the fundamentals and design features of LEDs applicable for plant growth and development and illustrates their advantages over the traditional lighting systems, including cost analyses. Further, it discusses a wide range of applications covering diverse areas of plant sciences relevant to controlled environment agriculture and in vitro plant morphogenesis. The chapters have been written by a team of pioneering international experts, who have made significant contributions to this emerging interdisciplinary field. The book will serve a valuable resource for graduate students, instructors, and researchers in the fields of horticulture, agricultural biotechnology, cell and developmental biology, and precision agriculture. It will also serve well professionals engaged in greenhouse and vertical farming.

Plant Metabolites and Regulation Under Environmental Stress presents the latest research on both primary and secondary metabolites. The book sheds light on the metabolic pathways of primary and secondary metabolites, the role of these metabolites in plants, and the environmental impact on the regulation of these metabolites. Users will find a comprehensive, practical reference that aids researchers in their understanding of the role of plant metabolites in stress tolerance. Highlights new advances in the understanding of plant metabolism Features 17 protocols and methods for analysis of important plant secondary metabolites Includes sections on environmental adaptations and plant metabolites, plant metabolites and breeding, plant microbiome and metabolites, and plant metabolism under non-stress conditions

To meet the challenge of feeding ever increasing human population, efficient, economical and environment friendly disease control methods are required. Pests are responsible for heavy crop losses and reduced food supplies, poorer quality of agricultural products, economic hardship for growers and processor. Generally, chemical control methods are neither always economical nor are they effective and may have associated unwanted health, safety and environmental risks. Biological control involves use of beneficial microorganism to control plant pathogens and diseases they cause and offers an environmental friendly approach to the effective management of plant diseases. This book provides a comprehensive account of interaction of host and its pathogens, induced host resistance, development of biological control agents for practical applications, the underlying mechanism and signal transduction. The book is useful to all those working in academia or industry related to crop protection.