This document discusses how plant traits can be controlled through environmental factors like light quality, genetics, and genomics. Specifically, it explores how manipulating light wavelength, intensity, photoperiod, and the timing of light exposure can influence gene expression, hormone production and translocation, growth processes, and metabolite accumulation in plants. The document reviews research showing these light-based effects in small crops like microgreens and sprouts, as well as fruits and vegetables. It also discusses opportunities to apply this knowledge to tree crops by controlling photoperiod and using far-red light to stimulate elongation growth. The document concludes that a combination of different light qualities precisely timed may allow steering plant physiology and development for agricultural purposes.
Forensic Biology & Its biological significance.pdf
Artificial Lighting and Plant Stimulation in Winter Months
1. Controlling Plant Traits with Environment, Genetics and
Genomics
Kevin M. Folta
Professor and Chair
Horticultural Sciences Department
University of Florida
Kevin M. Folta, Professor and Chair,Kevin M. Folta, Professor and Chair,
Horticultural Sciences Department, University of FloridaHorticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida
Artificial Lighting &
Plant Stimulation in
Winter Months
2. The underlying theory of altering plant traits
using narrow bandwidth illumination
Application to small-format horticultural
crops
What we know about tree crops; future
applications
7. What are the qualities of light we can control?
•Photoperiod
•Fluence rate (intensity)
•Wavelength
•Combinations of wavelegths
•Timing of “coaction”
8. Light controls:
•Changes in gene expression
•Tissue sensitivity to hormones
•Hormone production
•Hormone translocation
•Water relocation
•Gas exchange
•Many other processes!
16. Manipulation of the light spectrum allows us to
predictably steer plant physiology, development and
metabolite accumulation
Experiments in small-format crops like microgreens
allow manipulation of high-value traits
Experiments in fruits and vegetables show effects on
flavors
Light can affect post-harvest quality of fruits and
vegetables.
17. What are the qualities of light we can control?
•Photoperiod
•Fluence rate (intensity)
•Wavelength
•Combinations of wavelegths
•Timing of “coaction”
18. Application to trees – photoperiod and temperature
effects are well established
Cold Cool Cool
short day short day long day
Gustafson, 1938
19. Far-red light has an effect in sustaining elongation
growth in angiosperms and gymnosperms
Data from Populus
Olsen, 2010
21. g
End of Day Far-Red Treatments
Lead to Elongation Growth
Yang et al., 2012
22. g
The real solution will likely require a recipe
Directional blue light to stimulate phototropic response?
Far-red after darkness to stimulate elongation growth?
Night interrupt with red/blue light to reset the endogenous clock,
simulating long-day conditions?
25. Conclusions
•A given set of genetics can have a ranging
environmental response.
•Different light sensors mediate specific light
responses, leading to discrete changes.
•Controlling the quantity, quality, combination and
duration of photons permits manipulation of plant
traits.
•End-of-day far-red, and far-red enriched
environments may enhance elongation growth.