Growth dynamics and metabolite profiling of four Korean Sedum species in a vertical farming system: Implications for antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities

Sedum species are valued for their medicinal properties, yet their application has been limited by environmental variability and inconsistent metabolite content. This study is the first to introduce Sedum cultivation into a hydroponic vertical farming (VF) system, enabling controlled environmental conditions to improve standardization and productivity. Four Korean Sedum species were evaluated across five growth stages, which were defined based on morphological traits. A sigmoidal growth pattern was observed, with Stage 4 identified as the optimal harvest point based on biomass and bioactivity indices. Metabolomic profiling revealed dynamic changes in primary metabolites, particularly amino acids, organic acids, and carbohydrates, which were closely associated with growth stage transitions and species-specific patterns. Notably, shikimate levels correlated strongly with total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity, underscoring its role as a biosynthetic precursor of phenolic compounds. Among species, S. aizoon at stage 4 exhibited the highest TPC, as well as the strongest antioxidant and tyrosinase-inhibitory activities and metabolite production, suggesting potential use in functional foods and cosmetic formulations. These findings highlight the utility of VF systems for standardizing Sedum cultivation and functional compound production. Future work integrating transcriptomic and untargeted metabolomic approaches will facilitate the genetic dissection of growth and metabolic traits, thereby accelerating breeding strategies for stress-tolerant, high-value Sedum cultivars.