The influence of LED lighting spectrum on the adaptation of tomato microclones to ex vitro conditions

Relevance. It is necessary to develop effective methods for the adaptation of micro plants ex vitro, which will increase their resistance to unfavorable environmental factors and ensure a high yield of high-quality planting material. Modern biotechnologies based on the use of specialized climate chambers and varying spectral compositions of lighting offer unique opportunities for optimizing the adaptation process, which is extremely important in modern agriculture, which is focused on resource conservation and environmental friendliness.

Materials and Methods. Tomato varieties Gnome and Chelnok from the collection of the Solanaceae Breeding and Seed Production Laboratory of the Federal Scientific Center of Oncology were adapted to ex vitro conditions using traditional technology and a chamber with automatic climate control manufactured by VIM (Russia). The illumination had a radiance spectrum of 16B:42G:39R:3FR mmol/m² s (control) and 15B:1G:84R:0FR mmol/m² s. The total photon flux density (TPD) for both treatments was 140 mmol/m²s.

Results. Using climate chambers equipped with specialized light sources, we achieved significant advantages in plant development compared to traditional technology. Specifically, CID-W (16B:42G:39R:3FR) LED lighting resulted in maximum shoot length (20.3 cm), while CID-RB (15B:1G:84R:0FR) promoted the best accumulation of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a –  1.3 mg/g, chlorophyll b – 0.56 mg/g, sum of a+b – 1.86 mg/g). Furthermore, carotenoid content increased to 0.34-0.38 mg/g in the climate chambers, while traditional technology resulted in minimal concentrations (0.20-0.21 mg/g).

Conclusion. The studies confirmed the positive impact of a climate chamber and specialized LED lighting on the growth and development of tomato microplants. Optimizing the spectral composition increased shoot length, leaf count, and the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments. Varieties also responded differently to different lighting types, highlighting the need for a personalized approach for each variety. Future research focuses on improving adaptation technologies and developing optimal spectral regimes to enhance tomato productivity.

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