Photoperiodic Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, Mineral Elements, and Metabolome of Tomato Seedlings in a Plant Factory
Shaofang Wu,
Rongguang Li,
Chongxing Bu,
Cuifang Zhu,
Chen Miao,
Yongxue Zhang,
Jiawei Cui,
Yuping Jiang,
Xiaotao Ding
Affiliations
Shaofang Wu
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Rongguang Li
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Chongxing Bu
Xinjiang Kechuang Tianda Agricultural Engineering Co., Ltd., Changji 831100, China
Cuifang Zhu
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Chen Miao
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Yongxue Zhang
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Jiawei Cui
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Yuping Jiang
College of Ecological Technology and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China
Xiaotao Ding
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
The duration of light exposure is a crucial environmental factor that regulates various physiological processes in plants, with optimal timing differing between species and varieties. To assess the effect of photoperiods on the growth and metabolites of a specific truss tomato cultivar, three photoperiods (12 h, 16 h, and 20 h) were tested in a plant factory. Growth parameters, including plant height, stem diameter, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, photosynthetic characteristics, mineral content, and metabolome profiles, were analyzed under these conditions. The results indicated that prolonged light exposure enhanced plant growth, with the highest photosynthesis and chlorophyll content observed under a 20 h photoperiod. However, no significant correlation was observed between the photoperiod and the mineral element content, particularly for macro minerals. Metabolome analysis revealed that different photoperiods influenced the accumulation of metabolites, particularly in the lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and membrane transport pathways. Long periods of light would enhance photosynthesis and metabolism, improving the rapid growth of tomato seedlings. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the responses of truss tomato cultivars to varying photoperiods in plant factories and proposes an optimizable method for accelerating the progress of tomato seedling cultivation.
