Utilizing light exposure to its fullest: how light quality can aid biocontrol introduction in greenhouse horticulture – a pilot study

The use of LED lighting in controlled environmental agriculture is a necessity for regions that require supplemental light for greenhouse-grown crops.
In contrast to plants, the native and non-native microbiota’s response to environmental light (wavelength, irradiation, day length) has not received much attention.
Light energy has the capacity to modulate major aspects of the physiology of an organism such as activating metabolic pathways and gene expression, as it is a strong environmental factor.
To enable a better establishment of biocontrol agents, an appropriate light quality (wavelength) application could be one key in their success.
This could change how they are applied and lead to a more integrated pest control measure.
By tailoring the choice of light quality and an external carbon source, we studied the introduction of Pseudomonas choloraphis in the phyllosphere of greenhouse-grown tomatoes.
A detached leaf-assay was conducted using several carbon sources and wavelengths.
The results indicate that for a successful biocontrol agent (BCA) establishment on plant canopies the light environment is an essential feature.
Assisted by different carbon sources in combination with light, BCA efficacy may be enhanced.

International Symposium on New Technologies for Sustainable Greenhouse Systems: GreenSys2023

M. Hellström, M.E. Karlsson, R. Vetukuri, P.G. Becher, B.W. Alsanius

biocontrol agents, controlled environment agriculture, LED, pathogens, Pseudomonas chlororaphis, tomato

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1426.20