Scientia Horticulturae最新文献

{"title":"Trade-offs between growth, turf quality and physiological responses in tall fescue under continuous lighting at different intensity","authors":"Jiabao Chen ,&nbsp;Xiaowei Ding ,&nbsp;Yongshan Li ,&nbsp;Yufeng Chen ,&nbsp;Ye Ai ,&nbsp;Chenyan Jia ,&nbsp;Huiping Zhou ,&nbsp;Liebao Han","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114209","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114209","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Light intensity, duration, and spectral composition play critical roles in influencing the growth, and establishment quality of plants. However, the effects of continuous light emitting diode (LED) lighting and various light intensities on the morphological development, turf quality, physiological processes, elemental accumulation, and photodamage mechanisms of tall fescue (<em>Festuca arundinacea</em>) remain unclear. Understanding the response mechanisms of the growth and turf quality of tall fescue to different light intensities under continuous LED lighting is crucial for the efficient application of continuous lighting in turfgrass cultivation such as plant factories. In this experiment, normal light period (NL) of 16 (light)/8 (dark) h (300 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹), together with continuous light treatments at different intensities (150 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, 300 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, and 450 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, namely CL150, CL300 and CL450), were conducted to assess the effect of continuous lighting exposure at varying intensities on the morphology, physiological characteristics, and quality traits of tall fescue. The results showed that compared to NL, CL300 significantly enhanced the turf quality of tall fescue, whereas CL450 did not exhibit a significant improvement with increasing light intensity. In the ultrastructure of tall fescue chloroplasts, the number of chloroplasts was higher under CL300 and CL450 treatments, while a significant increase in the number and size of starch granules was observed specifically in CL450. With the increase in continuous light intensity, the degree of photo-oxidation induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the leaves gradually intensified, leading to a substantial accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, the reduction in mineral element content in the leaves due to increased light intensity further exacerbated the plant's damage under continuous lighting. In summary, CL300 can improve the turf quality of tall fescue while causing less damage to the plants. In addition, it is indicated that the factors including accumulation of carbohydrate, the damage of photooxidation and the reduction of mineral element content in leaves may be the main reasons for the quality decline of tall fescue under excessive continuous light intensities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114209"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis reveals spatiotemporal regulation of Cucurbitacin B biosynthesis in melon (Cucumis melo L.)","authors":"Mei Tian,&nbsp;Rong Yu,&nbsp;Wanbang Yang,&nbsp;Song Guo,&nbsp;Zhen Yue","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a triterpenoid compound in Cucurbitaceae crops like melon, significantly impacts plant defense and fruit bitterness. This study explores the spatiotemporal regulation of CuB biosynthesis using integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of two melon germplasms 14B46 and 14BY, differing in CuB decay rates. We found that 14B46 exhibits rapid CuB decline and enhanced growth, while 14BY maintains high CuB levels, correlating with delayed senescence and metabolic prioritization. Transcriptomic profiling reveals distinct expression patterns across developmental stages, identifying ABC transporters as key mediators of CuB degradation, with significant regulatory shifts at 20 days post-anthesis (DPA). Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic data highlight coordinated regulation between gene expression and metabolite profiles. At 10 DPA, photosynthesis and defense pathways are enriched, while at 20 DPA, plant hormone signaling and terpenoid biosynthesis dominate. ABC transporters show stage-specific expression, influencing CuB accumulation and degradation. The qPCR results of melon bitterness synthesis-related genes and ABC transporter proteins showed that the expression levels of the more bitter 14B46 were significantly higher than those of 14BY at all stages. The growth-defense trade-off in 14B46, prioritizing growth via rapid CuB clearance, results in higher fruit weight and chlorophyll retention, mirroring domestication trends where defense metabolites are reduced to enhance yield and palatability. This research delineates a comprehensive regulatory framework for CuB biosynthesis, transport, and degradation, offering actionable targets for developing high quality non-bitter melon melons while preserving ecological defense mechanisms and theoretical basis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114207"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-omics profiling of Amorphophallus muelleri seeds: Insights into germination and ABA regulation","authors":"Yongteng Zhao ,&nbsp;Min Yang ,&nbsp;Qingwei Wang ,&nbsp;Lifang Li,&nbsp;Penghua Gao,&nbsp;Ying Qi,&nbsp;Jian-Wei Guo,&nbsp;Huanyu Wei,&nbsp;Jiani Liu,&nbsp;Jianrong Zhao,&nbsp;Feiyan Huang,&nbsp;Lei Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114217","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114217","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Amorphophallus muelleri</em>, a naturally occurring variant of konjac, holds considerable ecological, economic, and medicinal significance due to its high konjac glucomannan (KGM) content. While the importance of seed germination as a complex physiological process is widely recognized, the regulatory network governing konjac seed germination remains largely unexplored. To better understand the fundamental molecular processes, we conducted a simultaneous examination of the transcriptome and non-targeted metabolome profiles of <em>A. muelleri</em> seeds at seven stages of germination, including dry seed, seed protrusion, seed germination; seedling coating outcrop, seedling cotyledons formation, seedling leaf with brown, and seedling leaf with green. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed a reprogramming of seed metabolism during germination, marked by changes in phytohormones, flavonoids, starch, and sucrose. The levels of abscisic acid (ABA) were found to decline, particularly post-germination. A CYP707A gene (<em>DN5757_c0_g1</em>) linked to ABA catabolism was associated with reduced ABA levels during seed germination. The upregulation of mRNAs encoding cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (C4H) correlated with an increase in <em>p</em>-coumaric acid levels. Full activation of photosynthesis facilitated seedling growth at the post-germination stage. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), two modules linked to plant hormone biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and flavonoid biosynthesis were identified. Significantly, further results suggest that ABA may inhibit the germination process by involving gene expression. Using an exploratory multiomics dataset, our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the germination process of <em>A. muelleri</em> seeds, elucidating the temporal-specific expression patterns of key candidate genes and metabolites, as well as shedding light on the role of ABA in the germination of konjac seeds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114217"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144242020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological and biochemical mechanisms of salinity tolerance in Indian cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.)","authors":"Babli Mog ,&nbsp;J.D. Adiga ,&nbsp;Ramesh SV ,&nbsp;Shamsudheen M ,&nbsp;Bhagya HP ,&nbsp;V. Thondaiman ,&nbsp;Manjesh GN ,&nbsp;Veena GL ,&nbsp;Siddanna Savadi ,&nbsp;Anil Kumar Yadav ,&nbsp;Jyoti Nishad ,&nbsp;Ibandalin Mawlong","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114221","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114221","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salinity is a major environmental stress that threatens sustainable agricultural production worldwide. Screening cashew varieties for salt tolerance is crucial for advancing breeding strategies that may guarantee sustainable cashew production under saline soils. In screening studies, finding important traits among a variety of morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters can enhance selection efficiency and accelerate the breeding process. In this study, six cashew varieties were evaluated for salinity stress response at the seedling stage under greenhouse condition. The treatments consisted of non-saline [0 mM sodium chloride (NaCl)] and saline (50, 100, 150 and 250 mM NaCl) irrigation water under Indian conditions. A broad spectrum of morpho-physiological, ionic, and biochemical markers, along with multivariate analysis, was used to assess the salinity tolerance of the cashew varieties. Salt stress significantly reduced growth-related parameters, relative water content (RWC) and leaf pigments across most of the cashew varieties. Notably, varieties Bhaskara and Vengurla-4 exhibited less reduction in morpho-physiological traits, lower sodium (Na⁺) content and a higher salinity tolerance index. The reduction in plant biomass corresponded to 43.1 % in Bhaskara (salt tolerant variety) against 52.7 % in Madakkathara-2 (salt sensitive variety) at higher salinity. Further, Bhaskara displayed greater leaf (3.01 % dry weight) and root (2.01 % dry weight) potassium (K⁺) content and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio (1.70 in leaf and 1.57 in root) under salt stress. Salt tolerant varieties exhibited elevated proline content and higher soluble sugar content in contrast to salt-sensitive varieties. The findings were further validated through principal component, heat map and correlation analysis. K⁺ content, K⁺/Na⁺ratio, proline content and soluble sugar content emerged as the most reliable traits associated with salt-tolerance in cashew under saline conditions. The identified salt-tolerant varieties present valuable genetic resources for advancing salt tolerance breeding programs in cashew.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114221"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144280847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An energy-saving glasshouse film reduced light, but elevated CO2 could not fully mitigate light-related yield losses in capsicum","authors":"Chenchen Zhao ,&nbsp;Sachin Chavan ,&nbsp;Rebecca K Vandegeer ,&nbsp;Meixue Zhou ,&nbsp;Christopher I. Cazzonelli ,&nbsp;Zhong-Hua Chen ,&nbsp;David T. Tissue","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glasshouse covering materials such as light-blocking film (LBF) can reduce energy consumption but adversely affect yield depending on the crop, cultivar, and growth season. Elevated CO₂ concentration (eCO₂) is a well-adopted growth strategy deployed to boost the growth and yield of horticultural crops. Here, we investigated the impact of eCO₂ and its potential to mitigate yield losses due to light limitations from LBF. We assessed stomatal morphology, physiology, mesophyll ionic status, and crop yield in a capsicum cultivar grown under LBF or control glass at ambient (500 μmol mol^-1) or elevated (800 μmol mol^-1) CO₂ concentration. eCO₂ significantly reduced stomatal size and pore area under LBF and control conditions, but stomatal density was not affected by eCO₂ under LBF. The combination of LBF and eCO₂ induced more prompt stomatal opening rates on the light transition from low (100 µmol m^-2s^-1) to high PAR (1500 µmol m^-2 s^-1), which relatively enhanced water use efficiency. eCO₂ significantly increased fruit yield (weight and number) in the control but not LBF bays. eCO₂ did not affect the <em>V_cmax</em> and <em>J_max</em> of crops under LBF but strongly enhanced <em>J_max</em> under the control glass. In summary, despite some positive physiological characteristics generated by LBF, it limited yield enhancement by eCO₂ of the orange capsicum cultivar.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114215"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144263892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative pollination requirements: A buzzworthy breeding objective for improving blueberry yield","authors":"Andrew Komatz ,&nbsp;Juliana Cromie ,&nbsp;Paul Adunola ,&nbsp;Stan Chabert ,&nbsp;Patricio R. Muñoz","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blueberry yield and fruit quality are contingent on pollination. While beekeeping services are commonly employed to fulfill this requirement, adverse weather during the bloom period and the suboptimal efficacy of honey bee pollinators often result in pollen limitation and subsequent yield loss. Elucidating genotypic variability for quantitative pollination requirements can support breeding efforts to mitigate losses of yield and quality associated with pollen limitation. In this study, the effect of nine levels of pollen receipt (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, 150 pollen tetrads) on the production of three southern highbush blueberry genotypes was examined. We studied the effect of genotype, treatment, and their interaction on seed number, berry size, weight, and ripening time. The quantitative pollination requirement for each genotype was determined via asymptotic regression, and variance components for fruit set were estimated using a mixed-effects model. Significant differences between genotypes and pollination treatments were observed for seed number, berry diameter, and weight (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). Ripening time was also impacted by pollination treatment (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01), with higher pollen quantities resulting in shorter ripening times. The minimum pollination requirement to achieve maximum fruit set varied between genotypes, ranging between 25 and 60 pollen tetrads, although some instances of parthenocarpy and over-pollination were observed. These findings underscore the importance of genotypic variability for blueberry pollination outcomes and provide important evidence for breeding lowered pollination requirements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114205"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Betalain-based flower and leaf color modification in Begonia × semperflorens via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation","authors":"Ikbal Karatas ,&nbsp;Masaru Nakano ,&nbsp;Masahiro Otani","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Betalains are tyrosine-derived plant pigments found exclusively in Caryophyllales and are classified into two groups: red to violet betacyanins and yellow to orange betaxanthins. Betalains show vivid colors and therefore have great potential for flower color modification in ornamental plants. In the present study, we examined the <em>Agrobacterium</em>-mediated genetic transformation of a white-flowered cultivar of <em>Begonia × semperflorens</em> using the RUBY gene, which contains two betalain biosynthesis-related genes (<em>BvDODA1</em> and <em>BvCYP76AD1</em>). The transgenic nature of regenerated plants was confirmed by PCR analysis, and a total of 6 transgenic lines were established. Transgenic plants had pale-pink petals, brownish-olive leaves, ruby-red roots, deep-orange anthers and ruby-red ovules. Transgenic plants showed slightly poor growth compared with wild-type plants. Spectrophotometric analysis showed that both betacyanins and betaxanthins were produced in leaves and petals of transgenic plants. Moreover, the expression level of <em>BvCYP76AD1</em> and <em>BvDODA1</em> in transgenic plants correlated with the amount of betalains. The transgenic <em>Begonia × semperflorens</em> produced in this study with the expression of the RUBY gene effectively demonstrates the validity of genetic transformation, highlighting its potential for enhancing the value of this important ornamental species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114216"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing nitrogen uptake efficiency and tomato plant growth in soilless substrates using fulvic acids and mycorrhizal biostimulants","authors":"Mahadi Hasan Redoy ,&nbsp;Md Al Mamun ,&nbsp;Audrey Liam Cooley,&nbsp;Ethan Darby,&nbsp;Tabibul Islam","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improving nutrient use efficiency is critical for sustainable soilless substrate-based controlled environment agriculture (CEA) crop production. In this regard, this study assesses the effect of fulvic acid (FA) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) based biostimulants on tomato seedlings growth and nitrogen (N) use efficiency under high (100 mg L⁻¹ N) and low (10 mg L⁻¹ N) nitrogen fertilization conditions for six weeks. Tomato plants were grown in a peat moss-based soilless substrate under greenhouse conditions. In addition to plant growth parameters and tissue N content, microbial extracellular enzyme activity in the root zone substrate was also evaluated. The results showed that no significant differences were observed among the treatments in plant height or biomass accumulation at a lower nitrogen level. In contrast, under the high N condition, plants treated with AMF or combinations of AMF and FA exhibited increased vigor and enhanced fresh and dry biomass accumulation. AMF and AMF+FA treatments improved N uptake efficiency (NUpE) and apparent N recovery (ANR) under high nitrogen conditions. Moreover, the combined application of AMF and FA significantly increased microbial extracellular enzyme (β-glucosidase) activity in the soilless substrate around the root zones and enhanced fresh root mass accumulation, underscoring the synergistic actions of FA and AMF in N uptake and plant performance. The findings highlight the potential of AMF alone or in synergy with FA to increase N uptake and plant growth. This could be a sustainable strategy for improving N uptake and use efficiency in soil-less substrate-based tomato production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114212"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Current trends and challenges of agrivoltaic systems towards sustainable production of temperate fruit crops under intensive orchard setups","authors":"Andreas Livera ,&nbsp;Enrico Maria Lodolini ,&nbsp;Nikola Saraginovski ,&nbsp;Samuele Crescenzi ,&nbsp;Davide Neri ,&nbsp;George A. Manganaris","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114210","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar energy is the fastest-growing renewable energy source in the pursuit of a climate-neutral economy. Deploying large-scale solar projects requires large land areas, and in certain cases, land conversion can lead to biodiversity loss, ecosystem disruption, and decreased food production. To address these issues, agrivoltaic systems are emerging as a promising solution, particularly in orchard settings. Agrivoltaic systems enable dual land use by allowing agricultural production and solar energy generation on the same land. The integration of photovoltaic modules with hail and photoselective nets can provide physical protection, reduce thermal stress and risk of fruit damage, improve water use efficiency, and optimize light conditions for plants, leading to improved fruit quality and yields. This synergistic approach supports the development of multifunctional fruit farming systems that are more resilient and productive. Despite their potential, the adoption of agrivoltaic systems remains limited due to high upfront costs, lack of supportive policies, and insufficient understanding of their impacts on local climates and ecosystems. Significant knowledge gaps and policy barriers must be addressed to facilitate wider implementation. This review explores the complex interplay between orchard protection and solar energy generation, highlighting the benefits, challenges, and limitations of integrating agrivoltaic and netting systems. Finally, it emphasizes the need for further research and policy development to unlock their full potential in sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114210"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144288707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LED lighting enhances early storage root development and sucrose accumulation in carrot (Daucus carota L.) without altering carotenoid content","authors":"Christian Gonzalez-Calquin ,&nbsp;Fabiana Munizaga ,&nbsp;Ariel Salvatierra ,&nbsp;Luis Villalobos ,&nbsp;Paula Pimentel ,&nbsp;Claudia Stange","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114220","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114220","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Light quality and intensity significantly affect the growth and development of horticultural crops. In carrot (<em>Daucus carota</em> L.), a species characterized by its high carotenoid content and edible storage root, we investigated how different light spectra impact underground organ development, carbohydrate accumulation, and carotenoid biosynthesis. Plants were grown under three lighting regimes: fluorescent light (F, enriched in green light), LED-NS12 (enriched in blue and red light), and LED-AP67 (rich in red and far-red light, with the highest intensity). Both LED conditions promoted earlier secondary root thickening, resulting in wider and heavier storage roots than those grown under fluorescent light, which correlate with the up regulation in the expression of <em>DcPHYA, DcPHYB, DcPAR1</em> and <em>DcARC6</em>, that could be associated with secondary root development. This enhanced growth was also associated with increased sucrose and starch accumulation, suggesting improved carbon assimilation. While no significant changes in carotenoid content were detected, the expression of the key carotenoid biosynthetic genes <em>DcPSY1</em> and <em>DcPSY2</em> was upregulated under LED light. These results demonstrate that LED lighting can promote favourable agronomic traits in carrot storage roots, such as biomass and sugar accumulation, without compromising carotenoid stability. This study highlights the potential of LED technologies to optimize carrot production in controlled environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"348 ","pages":"Article 114220"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144263891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}