Abstract
Optimal light conditions ensure the availability of sufficient photosynthetic assimilates for supporting the survival and growth of fruit organs in crops. One of the growing uses of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in horticulture is intra-canopy illumination or LED-interlighting, providing supplemental light for intensively cultivated crops directly within their canopies. Originally developed and applied in environmentally controlled greenhouses in northern latitude countries, this technique is nowadays also being tested and studied in other regions of the world such as the Mediterranean region. In the present work, we applied intra-canopy illumination for bell pepper grown in passive high tunnels in the Jordan Valley using a commercial LED product providing cool-white light. The study included testing of daytime ('LED-D') and edge-of-daytime ('LED-N') illumination, as well as a detailed characterization of fruit set and fruit survival throughout the growth season. We found that both light regimes significantly improved the fruit set and survival during winter, with some benefit of LED-N illumination. Notably, we found that western-facing plants of illuminated sections had a higher contribution toward the increased winter fruit set and spring yield than that of illuminated eastern-facing plants. Greater plant height and fresh weight of western-facing plants of the illuminated sections support the yield results. The differences likely reflect higher photosynthetic assimilation of western-facing plants as compared to eastern-facing ones, due to the higher daily light integral and higher canopy temperature of the former. This study provides important implications for the use of intra-canopy lighting for crops grown at passive winter conditions and exemplifies the significance of geographical positioning, opening additional avenues of investigation for optimization of its use for improving fruit yield under variable conditions.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Daytime intra-canopy illumination significantly improved winter fruit set and survival in bell pepper.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“both light regimes significantly improved the fruit set and survival during winter”
e1“daytime ('LED-D') and edge-of-daytime ('LED-N') illumination”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Edge-of-daytime intra-canopy illumination significantly improved winter fruit set and survival in bell pepper.
- Taxon
- Bell Peppert0
- Treatment
- edge-of-daytime ('LED-N')e1
- Outcome
- fruit set and survivale0
- Direction
- improvede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“both light regimes significantly improved the fruit set and survival during winter”
e1“daytime ('LED-D') and edge-of-daytime ('LED-N') illumination”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
LED-N provided some benefit over LED-D illumination.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“with some benefit of LED-N illumination”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Western-facing illuminated pepper plants contributed more to winter fruit set and spring yield than eastern-facing illuminated plants.
Verbatim
e0“western-facing plants of illuminated sections had a higher contribution toward the increased winter fruit set and spring yield than that of illuminated eastern-facing plants”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
Western-facing illuminated pepper plants had greater height and fresh weight.
Verbatim
e0“Greater plant height and fresh weight of western-facing plants of the illuminated sections”
t0“Bell Pepper”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors attribute differences between western- and eastern-facing plants to higher photosynthetic assimilation, daily light integral, and canopy temperature in western-facing plants.
Verbatim
e0“The differences likely reflect higher photosynthetic assimilation of western-facing plants as compared to eastern-facing ones, due to the higher daily light integral and higher canopy temperature of the former.”
t0“Bell Pepper”
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light · yield · Capsicum annuum (sweet pepper)Results differ
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