Articles
Influence of light stimuli on the habitus of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under daylight conditions
Article number
1327_60
Pages
455 – 464
Language
English
Abstract
Due to a lack of light and a morphologically determined top heaviness, the cultivation of potted herbs leads to unstable plants in winter months.
Former studies suggest that plants become more compact with high intensity pulsed light exposure (>1,000 µE). In this study, preliminary experiments were carried out in climate chambers regarding the effects of additional light intensities and qualities as well as sun fleck duration on young basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.). Those experiments provided evidence of reduced height and fresh mass of basil plants, as well as thinner stems and wider leaves.
In succession, the aim of the main study was to validate the preliminary results in practice and to investigate whether the outlined effects could lead to an increase in stability.
A greenhouse trial was carried out at producer Gartenbau Schulz, Papenburg, Germany, exposing basil to 1,000 µE light stimuli by a white-blue LED during the entire cultivation period (every 10 min for 30 s from 6 am to 8 pm). Natural sunlight was supplemented with HPS lamps.
Parameters during the tests were height, width, stem length, and stem width as well as the width of the leaves.
The results confirm the results of the preliminary climate chambers experiments: even under varying daylight conditions, light stimuli lead to significantly shorter basil plants with thinner stems and less fresh mass.
In principle, this effect can be used to increase the herb stability, but the light exposure is still too strong for appropriate sales quality.
Future trials will have to check whether shorter application times at the end of the cultivation period increase the stability by lowering weight on the plant head without weakening overall height and fresh mass of plants.
Former studies suggest that plants become more compact with high intensity pulsed light exposure (>1,000 µE). In this study, preliminary experiments were carried out in climate chambers regarding the effects of additional light intensities and qualities as well as sun fleck duration on young basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.). Those experiments provided evidence of reduced height and fresh mass of basil plants, as well as thinner stems and wider leaves.
In succession, the aim of the main study was to validate the preliminary results in practice and to investigate whether the outlined effects could lead to an increase in stability.
A greenhouse trial was carried out at producer Gartenbau Schulz, Papenburg, Germany, exposing basil to 1,000 µE light stimuli by a white-blue LED during the entire cultivation period (every 10 min for 30 s from 6 am to 8 pm). Natural sunlight was supplemented with HPS lamps.
Parameters during the tests were height, width, stem length, and stem width as well as the width of the leaves.
The results confirm the results of the preliminary climate chambers experiments: even under varying daylight conditions, light stimuli lead to significantly shorter basil plants with thinner stems and less fresh mass.
In principle, this effect can be used to increase the herb stability, but the light exposure is still too strong for appropriate sales quality.
Future trials will have to check whether shorter application times at the end of the cultivation period increase the stability by lowering weight on the plant head without weakening overall height and fresh mass of plants.
Authors
I. Rosenbusch, S. Matsubara, A. Ulbrich, T. Rath
Keywords
light stimuli, fluctuating light, sun flecks, plant stability, basil, daylight condition, habitus, plant performance
Groups involved
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Ornamental Plants
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Division Postharvest and Quality Assurance
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Division Sustaining Horticulture in a Changing World
- Working Group Humulus and Other Cannabaceae
Online Articles (111)