He, Jie

In this study, butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Baby Butter) plants were grown at three root-zone temperatures (RZTs): 25°C, 30°C and ambient-RZT (A-RZT) ranging from 26°C-42°C while their shoots were maintained at hot ambient temperature ranging from 26°C-42°C. Three phosphorus (P) concentrations: -25% P (minus P, 23.25ppm), control (31.00ppm) and +25% P (plus P, 38.75ppm) were supplied to the plants at each RZT using Netherlands Standard Nutrient Solution. Interactions between RZT and P concentrations on productivity, root morphology, maximum photosynthetic O2 evolution (Pmax), P uptake and its partitioning between shoot and root were studied. Lettuce plants grown with the plus P concentration at 25°C-RZT had the highest productivity, highest Pmax, highest shoot and root P concentrations. However, all the root morphological parameters studied were the greatest in plants grown with the minus P at 25°C-RZT. Higher P concentration in the solution and 25°C-RZT resulted in higher portion of the absorbed P partitioned to the shoots. Integrated effects of RZT and P concentration on the productivity, root morphology, photosynthesis and P uptake were discussed.

Brassica alboglabra plants were first grown aeroponically with full nutrients under full sunlight with average midday photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 1200 μmol m−2 s−1. Thirty days after transplanting, plants were respectively, subjected to 10 days of average midday PPFD of 1200 (control, L1), 600 (L2) and 300 μmol m−2 s−1 (L3). Productivity, photosynthetic CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance were significantly lower in low-light (L2 and L3) plants than in high-light (L1) plants. Low light plants had the highest nitrate (NO3−) accumulation in the petioles. Low light also had an inverse effect total reduced N content. After different light treatments, all plants were re-exposed to another 10 days of full sunlight. Low-light plants demonstrated their ability to recover their photosynthetic rate, enhance productivity and reduce the NO3− concentration. These results have led to the recommendation of not harvesting this popular vegetable during or immediately after cloudy weather conditions.

There is very little study on the effects of LED quality on Mesembryanthemum crystallinum grown under different salinities. In this study, M. crystallinum was grown under red/blue (R/B) LED ratios of 0.9, 1.6. 2.0 and 2.8 with 100 and 500 mM NaCl and exposed to the same level of photosynthetic photon flux density, PPFD (290 µmol m‑2 s‑1, 12 h photoperiod). Fourteen days after transplanting, plants with 100 mM NaCl had significantly higher values of growth parameters including shoot and root fresh weight, total leaf area and specific leaf area than with 500 mM NaCl. Grown with 100 mM NaCl under R/B 0.9, M. crystallinum had significantly lower shoot FW and total leaf area than under other R/B ratios. However, LED quality did not seem to affect the growth parameters of M. crystallinum grown with 500 mM NaCl. All plants had similar higher leaf succulence and water content but lower leaf dry matter content with 100 mM NaCl than with 500 mM NaCl. Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) acidity of plants grown with 500 mM NaCl was about 4-fold higher than with 100 mM NaCl, indicating induction and stimulation of CAM photosynthesis. Chlorophyll fluorescence Fv/Fm ratios were greater than 0.8 for all plants, suggesting that maximum efficiency of PSII was unaffected by LED quality and salinity. M. crystallinum grown with 500 mM NaCl had lower electron transport rate, ETR but higher non-photochemical quenching, NPQ than with 100 mM NaCl, implying that photosynthetic light use efficiency was affected when switching C3 to CAM photosynthesis under high salt stress. M. crystallinum grown with100 mM NaCl had higher photochemical quenching, qP and ETR under R/B 0.9 than under R/B 2.8 and all plants with 500 mM NaCl. In conclusion, LED quality had different impacts on photosynthetic light-use efficiency of M. crystallinum grown under different salinities and thus resulting in different growth and productivity.

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. is a nutritious edible facultative halophyte. This study aimed to investigate the physiology and quality of M. crystallinum L. grown under different salinities and salt-priming conditions. All plants were first grown in 10% artificial seawater (ASW) for 10 days. After that, some plants remained in 10% ASW while the others were transferred to 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% ASW for another 10 days. Some plants also underwent a salt priming by transferring them gradually from 10% to 100% ASW over a span of 10 days (defined as salt primed). All plants were green and healthy. However, there were reductions in shoot and root productivity, leaf growth, and water content, but also an increase in leaf succulence after transferring plants to higher salinities. The salt-primed plants showed higher photosynthetic light use efficiency with higher chlorophyll concentration compared to other plants. The concentrations of proline, ascorbic acid (ASC), and total phenolic compounds (TPC) increased as percentages of ASW increased. The salt-primed plants switched from C3 to crassulacean acid metabolism photosynthesis and accumulated the greatest amounts of proline, ASC, and TPC. In conclusion, higher salinities and salt priming enhance the nutritional quality of M. crystallinum L. but compromises productivity.

The success of growing vegetables indoors requires the most appropriate selection of lighting spectrum. This mini review discusses the impacts of LED spectral quality on different leafy vegetables with a focus on the studies of Chinese broccoli (Brassica alboglabra), ice plants (Mesembryanthem crystallinum) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Canasta). For each species, plants exposed to different spectral LED lights were all under the same light intensity and same photoperiod. Chinese broccoli grown under red(R):blue(B)-LED ratio of 84:16 (16B) had the highest light-saturated photosynthetic CO₂ assimilation rate (A_sat) and stomatal conductance (g_{s sat}) compared to plants grown under other R:B-LED ratios. It was also shown that 16B is the most appropriate selection for Chinese broccoli to achieve the highest shoot productivity with a rapid leaf number and leaf area development. The highest concentrations of photosynthetic pigments, soluble and Rubisco protein on a leaf area basis were also observed in 16B plants. The results conclusively affirmed that the highest productivity of Chinese broccoli grown under 16B is closely linked to the highest photosynthetic performance on a leaf area basis. For ice plants grown under R:B-LED ratios of 90:10 (10B), they had the highest shoot biomass with a faster leaf development compared to plants grown under other RB-LED combinations. However, there were no differences in A_sat, g_{s sat,} photosynthetic pigments, soluble and Rubisco proteins on a leaf area basis. In the case of lettuce plants, it was a surprise to observe that plants grown under 0B and 20G (20% green (G)-LED and 80% R-LED) had the highest shoot biomass, and largest total leaf area and light interception area but the lowest net maximal photosynthetic rate on a leaf area basis, compared to other plants. The combined RB-LED enhanced other photosynthetic parameters while 0B and 20G conditions had inhibitory effects on maximum quantum efficiency of PS II with lower photosynthetic pigments, total soluble protein and Rubisco protein. These results suggest that impacts of LED light quality on productivity of lettuce (L. sativa L. cv. Canasta) are closely linked to leaf traits not associated with photosynthetic performance on a leaf area basis.

Planting vegetation on slopes is an effective way of improving slope stability while enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the landscape. However, plants growing on slopes are susceptible to natural drought stress (DS) conditions which commonly lead to water deficit in plant tissues that affect plant health and growth. This study investigated the photosynthetic gas exchange, plant water status and proline accumulation of three tropical perennials namely Clerodendrum paniculatum, Ipomoea pes-caprae and Melastoma malabathricum after being subjected to DS and re-watering (RW). During DS, there was a significant decrease in light-saturated photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate (Asat), stomatal conductance (gs sat), and transpiration rate (Tr) for all three plant species. Leaf relative water content, shoot water potential, and leaf, stem and root water content also declined during DS. Proline concentration increased for all three species during DS, reaching especially high levels for C. paniculatum, suggesting that it heavily relies on the accumulation of proline to cope with DS. Most of the parameters recovered almost completely to levels similar to well-watered plants after RW, apart from M. malabathricum. Strong linear correlations were found between Asat and gs sat and between gs sat and Tr. Ultimately, C. paniculatum and I. pes-caprae had better drought tolerance than M. malabathricum.

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum is a succulent, facultative crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant. Plant growth and photosynthetic characteristics were studied when M. crystallinum plants were grown indoor under light emitting diodes (LED)-lighting with adequate water supply. Plants were cultured aeroponically for a 16-h photoperiod at an equal photosynthetic photon flux density of 350 mmol m-2 s-1 under different red:blue LED ratios: (1) 100:0 (0B); (2) 90:10 (10B); (3) 80:20 (20B); (4) 70:30 (30B); (5) 50:50 (50B); and (6)100:0 (100B). M. crystallinum grown under 10B condition had the highest shoot and root biomass and shoot/root ratio while those grown under 0B condition exhibited the lowest values. Compared to plants grown under 0B condition, all other plants had similar but higher total chlorophyll (Chl) and carotenoids (Car) contents and higher Chl a/b ratios. However, there were no significant differences in Chl/Car ratio among all plants grown under different red- and blue-LEDs. Photosynthetic light use efficiency measured by photochemical quenching, non-photochemical quenching, and electron transport rate, demonstrated that plants grown under high blue-LED utilized more light energy and had more effective heat dissipation mechanism compared to plants grown under 0B or lower blue-LED. Statistically, there were no differences in photosynthetic O2 evolution rate, light-saturated CO2 assimilation rate (Asat), and lightsaturated stomatal conductance (gssat) among plants grown under different combined red- and blue-LEDs but they were significantly higher than those of 0B plants. No statistically differences in total reduced nitrogen content were found among all plants. For the total soluble protein, all plants grown under different combined red- and blue-LEDs had similar values but they were significantly higher than that of plants grown under 0B condition. However, plants grown under higher blue-LEDs had significant higher ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (Rubisco) protein than those plants grown under lower blue- LED. High Asat and gssat but very low CAM acidity of all M. crystallinum plants during light period, imply that this facultative CAM plant performed C3 photosynthesis when supplied with adequate water. Results of this study suggest that compared to red- or blue-LED alone, appropriate combination of red- and blue-LED lighting enhanced plant growth and photosynthetic capacities of M. crystallinum.

Plant propagation via in vitro culture is a very laborious and time-consuming process. The growth cycle of some of the crop species is slow even in the field and the consistent commercial production is hard to maintain. Enhanced methods of reduced cost, materials and labor significantly impact the research and commercial production of field crops. In our studies, stem-segment explants of Brassica species were found to generate adventitious roots (AR) in aeroponic systems in less than a week. As such, the efficiency of rooting from stem explants of six cultivar varieties of Brassica spp was tested without using any plant hormones. New roots and shoots were developed from Brassica alboglabra (Kai Lan), B. oleracea var. acephala (purple kale), B. rapa L. ssp. chinensis L (Pai Tsai, Nai Bai C, and Nai Bai T) explants after 3 to 5 days of growing under 20 ± 2 C cool root zone temperature (C-RZT) and 4 to 7 days in 30 ± 2 C ambient root zone temperature (A-RZT). At the base of cut end, anticlinal and periclinal divisions of the cambial cells resulted in secondary xylem toward pith and secondary phloem toward cortex. The continuing mitotic activity of phloem parenchyma cells led to a ring of conspicuous white callus. Root initials formed from the callus which in turn developed into ARs. However, B. rapa var. nipposinica (Mizuna) explants were only able to root in C-RZT. All rooted explants were able to develop into whole plants, with higher biomass obtained from plants that grown in C-RZT. Moreover, explants from both RZTs produced higher biomass than plants grown from seeds (control plants). Rooting efficiency was affected by RZTs and explant cuttings of donor plants. Photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate (Asat) and stomatal conductance (gssat) were significantly differentiated between plants derived from seeds and explants at both RZTs. All plants in A-RZT had highest transpiration rates.

The edible halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. was grown at different NaCl salinities under different combined red and blue light-emitting diode (LED) light treatments. High salinity (500 mM NaCl) decreased biomass, leaf growth, and leaf water content. Interactions between LED ratio and salinity were detected for shoot biomass and leaf growth. All plants had Fv/Fm ratios close to 0.8 in dark-adapted leaves, suggesting that they were all healthy with similar maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry. However, measured under the actinic light near or above the growth light, the electron transport rate (ETR) and photochemical quenching (qP) of M. crystallinum grown at 100 and 250 mM NaCl were higher than at 500 mM NaCl. Grown under red/blue LED ratios of 0.9, M. crystallinum had higher ETR and qP across all salinities indicating higher light energy utilisation. Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) was induced in M. crystallinum grown at 500 mM NaCl. CAM-induced leaves had much higher non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), suggesting that NPQ can be used to estimate CAM induction. M. crystallinum grown at 250 and 500 mM NaCl had higher total chlorophyll and carotenoids contents than at 100 mM NaCl. Proline, total soluble sugar, ascorbic acid, and total phenolic compounds were higher in plants at 250 and 500 mM NaCl compared with those at 100 mM NaCl. An interaction between LED ratio and salinity was detected for proline content. Findings of this study suggest that both salinity and light quality affect productivity, photosynthetic light use efficiency, and proline accumulation of M. crystallinum.

Effects of root-zone (RZ) CO₂ on crisphead-type lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. ‘Wintergreen’ were measured in an aeroponic system under photosynthetic photon flux of 650 μmol m^-2 s^-1, 12 h photoperiod at 36^oC/30^oC and 28^oC/22^oC (day/night), with three enriched RZ CO₂ levels (2000 ppm, 10,000 ppm and 50,000 ppm). Leaf growth was monitored after elevated RZ CO₂ had been supplied for one week. Leaf areas with elevated RZ CO₂ were greater than ambient controls at both temperatures, while shoot and root weights were also higher. Increasing temperature reduced biomass overall, but the relative response to RZ CO₂ was greater. Elevated RZ CO₂ stimulated photosynthetic CO₂ assimilation, with greater increase at higher temperatures. Elevated RZ CO₂ decreased stomatal conductance at both temperatures, reducing transpiration water loss.