Influence of Supplementary Blue and Far-Red Light on the Morphology and Texture of Ocimum basilicum L. Grown in Controlled Environments

Oehler, Madison A.; Kelly, Nathan; Fonseca, Jorge M.; Evensen, Ella; Park, Eunhee; Gu, Ganyu; Teng, Zi; Luo, Yaguang

doi:10.3390/horticulturae11030287

Title: Influence of Supplementary Blue and Far-Red Light on the Morphology and Texture of Ocimum basilicum L. Grown in Controlled Environments

Journal Article · 05 March 2025 · Horticulturae

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030287 · OSTI ID:2528128

; Kelly, Nathan;

; Evensen, Ella; Park, Eunhee; Gu, Ganyu; Teng, Zi; Luo, Yaguang

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is highly sensitive to environmental conditions and is an ideal candidate for cultivation in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Light-emitting diode technology has become essential in CEA, offering precise control over light intensity, spectrum, and duration. This study investigated how supplemental blue light, far-red light, or their combination influences basil biomass, morphology, texture, and color when added to a white + red light spectrum. Basil ’Prospera’ and ’Amethyst’ were exposed to five light treatments for 14–28 days: white + red at 180 µmol∙m−2∙s−1 (W) as the control, and four treatments with an additional 60 µmol∙m−2∙s−1 of either white + red (+W60), blue (+B60), far-red (+FR60), or a combination of B and FR (+B30+FR30), for a total photon flux density of 240 µmol∙m−2∙s−1. The results demonstrated that +B60 and +W60 light treatments increased leaf thickness by 17–20% compared to the +FR60 treatment. Conversely, texture analysis revealed that +FR60-treated leaves had higher puncture resistance, with ’Amethyst’ and ’Prospera’ requiring 1.57 ± 0.43 N and 1.45 ± 0.35 N of force, respectively, compared to 1.19 ± 0.32 N and 1.1 ± 0.21 N under +B60. These findings suggest that tailored light recipes in CEA can optimize basil quality, allowing growers to modify traits like leaf color, thickness, and toughness.

View Journal Article

Cite

Export

Save

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0014664

OSTI ID:: 2528128

Journal Information:: Horticulturae, Journal Name: Horticulturae Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 11; ISSN 2311-7524; ISSN HORTCF

Publisher:: MDPI AGCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Country unknown/Code not available

Language:: English

References (54)

Texture, composition and anatomy of spinach leaves in relation to nitrogen fertilization Gutiérrez‐Rodríguez, Eduardo; Lieth, Heiner J.; Jernstedt, Judith A. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, Vol. 93, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.5780	journal	July 2012
Medicinal, Aromatic and Stimulant Plants Novak, Johannes; Blüthner, Wolf-Dieter Handbook of Plant Breeding https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38792-1	book	January 2020
Photosynthetic and growth responses of green and purple basil plants under different spectral compositions Hosseini, Ameneh; Zare Mehrjerdi, Mahboobeh; Aliniaeifard, Sasan Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, Vol. 25, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-019-00647-7	journal	February 2019
Plasticity of photosynthetic processes and the accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants in response to monochromatic light environments: A review Landi, Marco; Zivcak, Marek; Sytar, Oksana Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics, Vol. 1861, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbabio.2019.148131	journal	February 2020
A review of visual cues associated with food on food acceptance and consumption Wadhera, Devina; Capaldi-Phillips, Elizabeth D. Eating Behaviors, Vol. 15, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2013.11.003	journal	January 2014
Substituting green or far-red radiation for blue radiation induces shade avoidance and promotes growth in lettuce and kale Meng, Qingwu; Kelly, Nathan; Runkle, Erik S. Environmental and Experimental Botany, Vol. 162 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2019.03.016	journal	June 2019
Far-red light and temperature interactively regulate plant growth and morphology of lettuce and basil Jeong, Sang Jun; Niu, Genhua; Zhen, Shuyang Environmental and Experimental Botany, Vol. 218 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2023.105589	journal	February 2024
Cell wall structure and composition is affected by light quality in tomato seedlings Falcioni, Renan; Moriwaki, Thaise; Perez-Llorca, Marina Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, Vol. 203 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2019.111745	journal	January 2020
Far-red light is needed for efficient photochemistry and photosynthesis Zhen, Shuyang; van Iersel, Marc W. Journal of Plant Physiology, Vol. 209 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2016.12.004	journal	February 2017
Hydroponic farming – A state of art for the future agriculture Kannan, M.; Elavarasan, G.; Balamurugan, A. Materials Today: Proceedings, Vol. 68 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.08.416	journal	January 2022
Innovative advances in LED technology Yam, F. K.; Hassan, Z. Microelectronics Journal, Vol. 36, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mejo.2004.11.008	journal	February 2005
Photocycle and signaling mechanisms of plant cryptochromes Ahmad, Margaret Current Opinion in Plant Biology, Vol. 33 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2016.06.013	journal	October 2016
Influence of blue/red vs. white LED light treatments on biomass, shoot morphology, and quality parameters of hydroponically grown kale Metallo, Rosalie M.; Kopsell, Dean A.; Sams, Carl E. Scientia Horticulturae, Vol. 235 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.02.061	journal	May 2018
Promotion of lettuce growth under an increasing daily light integral depends on the combination of the photosynthetic photon flux density and photoperiod Kelly, Nathan; Choe, Daegeun; Meng, Qingwu Scientia Horticulturae, Vol. 272 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109565	journal	October 2020
Morphological and physiological response in green and purple basil plants (Ocimum basilicum) under different proportions of red, green, and blue LED lightings Lin, Kuan-Hung; Huang, Meng-Yuan; Hsu, Ming-Huang Scientia Horticulturae, Vol. 275 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109677	journal	January 2021
Optimization of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) production in LED light environments – a review Sipos, László; Balázs, László; Székely, Géza Scientia Horticulturae, Vol. 289 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110486	journal	November 2021
A review on the effects of light-emitting diode (LED) light on the nutrients of sprouts and microgreens Zhang, Xiaoyan; Bian, Zhonghua; Yuan, Xingxing Trends in Food Science & Technology, Vol. 99 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2020.02.031	journal	May 2020
Phytochromes and light signal perception by plants—an emerging synthesis Smith, Harry Nature, Vol. 407, Issue 6804 https://doi.org/10.1038/35036500	journal	October 2000
The life and times of the LED — a 100-year history Zheludev, Nikolay Nature Photonics, Vol. 1, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2007.34	journal	April 2007
The function of phytochrome in regulation of plant growth. Hendricks, S. B.; Borthwick, H. A. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 58, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.58.5.2125	journal	November 1967
Specific Leaf Area and Dry Matter Content Estimate Thickness in Laminar Leaves Vile, Denis; Garnier, ÉRic; Shipley, Bill Annals of Botany, Vol. 96, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mci264	journal	September 2005
Chlorophyll fluorescence—a practical guide Maxwell, Kate; Johnson, Giles N. Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 51, Issue 345 https://doi.org/10.1093/jexbot/51.345.659	journal	April 2000
Phytochrome functions in Arabidopsis development Franklin, K. A.; Quail, P. H. Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 61, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erp304	journal	October 2009
Green Light Drives Leaf Photosynthesis More Efficiently than Red Light in Strong White Light: Revisiting the Enigmatic Question of Why Leaves are Green Terashima, Ichiro; Fujita, Takashi; Inoue, Takeshi Plant and Cell Physiology, Vol. 50, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcp034	journal	February 2009
Plant Flavoprotein Photoreceptors Christie, J. M.; Blackwood, L.; Petersen, J. Plant and Cell Physiology, Vol. 56, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcu196	journal	December 2014
Basil: A Brief Summary of Potential Health Benefits Singletary, Keith W. Nutrition Today, Vol. 53, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1097/NT.0000000000000267	journal	March 2018
Blue Light-Dependent in Vivo and in Vitro Phosphorylation of Arabidopsis Cryptochrome 1 Shalitin, D. THE PLANT CELL ONLINE, Vol. 15, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.013011	journal	October 2003
Phytochrome-mediated inhibition of shade avoidance involves degradation of growth-promoting bHLH transcription factors: PIF stability regulates shade avoidance Lorrain, Séverine; Allen, Trudie; Duek, Paula D. The Plant Journal, Vol. 53, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313X.2007.03341.x	journal	October 2007
The shade-avoidance syndrome: multiple signals and ecological consequences: Neighbour detection and shade avoidance Ballaré, Carlos L.; Pierik, Ronald Plant, Cell & Environment, Vol. 40, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12914	journal	March 2017
Cryptochromes: Blue Light Receptors for Plants and Animals Cashmore, A. R. Science, Vol. 284, Issue 5415 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.284.5415.760	journal	April 1999
Photoreceptor Signaling Networks in Plant Responses to Shade Casal, Jorge J. Annual Review of Plant Biology, Vol. 64, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-050312-120221	journal	April 2013
Antimicrobial Activity of Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Oil againstSalmonellaEnteritidisin Vitroand in Food Rattanachaikunsopon, Pongsak; Phumkhachorn, Parichat Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, Vol. 74, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1271/bbb.90939	journal	June 2010
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) a Source of Valuable Phytonutrients Filip, Snežana International Journal of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, Vol. 3, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.15344/2456-8171/2017/118	journal	May 2017
Consumer Acceptability of Aquaponically Grown Basil Yue, Chengyan; Vickers, Zata; Wang, Jingjing HortScience, Vol. 55, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14831-20	journal	June 2020
Effects of Supplemental Light Source on Basil, Dill, and Parsley Growth, Morphology, Aroma, and Flavor Litvin, Alexander G.; Currey, Christopher J.; Wilson, Lester A. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, Vol. 145, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS04746-19	journal	January 2020
Blue Radiation Interacts with Green Radiation to Influence Growth and Predominantly Controls Quality Attributes of Lettuce Meng, Qingwu; Boldt, Jennifer; Runkle, Erik S. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, Vol. 145, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS04759-19	journal	March 2020
Light Quality Dependent Changes in Morphology, Antioxidant Capacity, and Volatile Production in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Carvalho, Sofia D.; Schwieterman, Michael L.; Abrahan, Carolina E. Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 7 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01328	journal	September 2016
Long-Term Effects of Red- and Blue-Light Emitting Diodes on Leaf Anatomy and Photosynthetic Efficiency of Three Ornamental Pot Plants Zheng, Liang; Van Labeke, Marie-Christine Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 8 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00917	journal	May 2017
Response of Basil Growth and Morphology to Light Intensity and Spectrum in a Vertical Farm Larsen, Dorthe H.; Woltering, Ernst J.; Nicole, Celine C. S. Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 11 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.597906	journal	December 2020
Adding Far-Red to Red-Blue Light-Emitting Diode Light Promotes Yield of Lettuce at Different Planting Densities Jin, Wenqing; Urbina, Jorge Leigh; Heuvelink, Ep Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 11 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.609977	journal	January 2021
Photosynthetic Physiology of Blue, Green, and Red Light: Light Intensity Effects and Underlying Mechanisms Liu, Jun; van Iersel, Marc W. Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 12 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.619987	journal	March 2021
Variation in supplemental lighting quality influences key aroma volatiles in hydroponically grown ‘Italian Large Leaf’ basil Hammock, Hunter A.; Sams, Carl E. Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 14 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1184664	journal	June 2023
Editorial: Current and future perspectives for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the 21st century Baghalian, Kambiz; Hajirezaei, Mohammad-Reza; Lawson, Tracy Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 14 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1334641	journal	November 2023
Growth of Hydroponic Sweet Basil (O. basilicum L.) Using Plasma-Activated Nutrient Solution (PANS) Date, Manasi B.; Rivero, W. C.; Tan, Juzhong Agriculture, Vol. 13, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13020443	journal	February 2023
The Growth and Development of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and Bush Basil (Ocimum minimum) Grown under Three Light Regimes in a Controlled Environment Aldarkazali, Mohammed; Rihan, Hail Z.; Carne, Demelza Agronomy, Vol. 9, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9110743	journal	November 2019
In Search of Optimum Fresh-Cut Raw Material: Using Computer Vision Systems as a Sensory Screening Tool for Browning-Resistant Romaine Lettuce Accessions Bornhorst, Ellen R.; Luo, Yaguang; Park, Eunhee Horticulturae, Vol. 10, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10070731	journal	July 2024
Effects of Light Quality on Growth and Phytonutrient Accumulation of Herbs under Controlled Environments Dou, Haijie; Niu, Genhua; Gu, Mengmeng Horticulturae, Vol. 3, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae3020036	journal	June 2017
Effects of Light-Emitting Diodes on the Accumulation of Phenolic Compounds and Glucosinolates in Brassica juncea Sprouts Park, Chang Ha; Park, Ye Eun; Yeo, Hyeon Ji Horticulturae, Vol. 6, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae6040077	journal	November 2020
Hydroponic Basil Production: Temperature Influences Volatile Organic Compound Profile, but Not Overall Consumer Preference Walters, Kellie J.; Lopez, Roberto G. Horticulturae, Vol. 8, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8010076	journal	January 2022
Light Induced Regulation Pathway of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Plants Ma, Yanyun; Ma, Xu; Gao, Xiang International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 22, Issue 20 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222011116	journal	October 2021
LED Illumination Spectrum Manipulation for Increasing the Yield of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Rahman, Md Momtazur; Vasiliev, Mikhail; Alameh, Kamal Plants, Vol. 10, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020344	journal	February 2021
Far-Red Light Effects on Lettuce Growth and Morphology in Indoor Production Are Cultivar Specific Liu, Jun; van Iersel, Marc W. Plants, Vol. 11, Issue 20 https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11202714	journal	October 2022
Effect of Duration of LED Lighting on Growth, Photosynthesis and Respiration in Lettuce Yudina, Lyubov; Sukhova, Ekaterina; Gromova, Ekaterina Plants, Vol. 12, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030442	journal	January 2023
The Effect of Supplemental Blue, Red and Far-Red Light on the Growth and the Nutritional Quality of Red and Green Leaf Lettuce Lee, Myungjin; Xu, Jingwen; Wang, Weiqun American Journal of Plant Sciences, Vol. 10, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2019.1012157	journal	January 2019

Similar Records

Effect of glutathione-coated Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots on nutrient delivery in basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants

Journal Article · 2026 · Advanced Agrochem · OSTI ID:3115971

Lopez-Cruz, Ileanette; Vejar, Manuel R.; Rivera-Ortiz, Axel A.; +2 more

Production of hydroxylated and methoxylated flavonoids in yeast by expression specific enzymes

Patent · 2021 · OSTI ID:1823805

Gang, David; Berim, Anna

Wool-waste as organic nutrient source for container-grown plants

Journal Article · 2009 · Waste Management · OSTI ID:21269342

Stratton, Glenn W; Pincock, James; Butler, Stephanie; +3 more

Title: Influence of Supplementary Blue and Far-Red Light on the Morphology and Texture of Ocimum basilicum L. Grown in Controlled Environments

Citation Formats

References (54)

Similar Records

Related Subjects