Modification of the Light Environment Influences the Production of Horticultural Crops

Abstract

Light is one of the most important factors affecting plant growth. Although photosynthesis has been widely investigated, knowledge remains limited on how the quality of light influences the production of horticultural crops, especially fruits and vegetables. Here, we present a review of recent studies on how modification to light quality influences the production of these crops. The light environment contributes toward sustaining and regulating fruit and vegetable production. And light conditions are increasingly being modified with such artificial light as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), coupled with sheet mulching. These tools are useful for enhancing light-mediated growth and reproduction in plants. Thus, the physiological and biological responses of plants to light must be analyzed to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying how light controls plant development. Discipline: Horticulture Additional key words: environment, growth, LEDs, mulch sheet, reflection, ultraviolet (UV)