Pre-press article
Photoperiod-specific LED Supplementation Enhances Growth Performance and Alters Biomass Allocation in Mustard Greens (Brassica Juncea L.) under Controlled Environment Agriculture
https://doi.org/10.47836/pjtas.49.4.11KeywordsBrassica juncea, biomass allocation, controlled environment agriculture, LED timing, photoperiod optimisation, tropical greenhouse
Article content
Abstract
Optimising supplemental lighting protocols for tropical controlled environment agriculture remains challenging due to limited photoperiod-specific research. This study investigated LED timing effects on mustard greens (Brassica juncea L.) growth under Vietnamese greenhouse conditions. Four treatments were evaluated: LED_0 (control), LED_18-22 pm (evening supplementation), LED_22 pm - 2 am (night supplementation), and LED_2-6 am (early morning supplementation). Custom LED modules with 50W Chip-on-Board technology provided 60-70 μmol.m⁻².s⁻¹ PPFD at 0.5m distance. Plants were grown in commercial Tribat soil with automated irrigation maintaining 70-80% moisture. Morphological parameters, SPAD chlorophyll index, and biomass allocation were assessed over 42 days. Evening LED supplementation (18-22 pm) demonstrated superior performance, achieving a 70.7% increase in plant height (61.64 vs 36.10 cm), a 58.0% enhancement in total fresh weight (20.65 vs 13.07 g), and a 26.2% improvement in leaf number compared to controls. However, this treatment exhibited morphological trade-offs with a 11.8% reduction in leaf width and 18.2% decrease in leaf length. Biomass allocation shifted dramatically from 90.15% leaf allocation in controls to 77.06% under evening supplementation, with stem allocation increasing from 1.92% to 17.33%. SPAD analysis revealed timing-dependent chlorophyll responses, with early enhancement under evening treatment and superior mid-season development under early morning supplementation. These findings establish that 4-hour evening LED supplementation optimally synchronises with Brassica juncea circadian rhythms, providing an energy-efficient enhancement of productivity while highlighting critical morphological consequences for commercial applications in tropical controlled-environment agriculture.
