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   Fruits 74 (1) 3-10 | DOI: 10.17660/th2019/74.1.1
ISSN 0248-1294 print and 1625-967X online | © ISHS 2019 | Fruits, The International Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Horticulture | Original article
Influence of light quality on flowering characteristics, potential for year-round fruit production and fruit quality of blueberry in a plant factory

H.Y. Cho1, M. Kadowaki2, J. Che3, S. Takahashi1, N. Horiuchi3 and I. Ogiwara1,2,3,a
1 United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu 183-8509, Japan
2 Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu 183-8509, Japan
3 Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu 183-8509, Japan

SUMMARY
Introduction – Blueberry harvest season is only from June to September in Japan. Developing new cultivation methods for year-round blueberry production is desired to reduce off-season blueberry imports at a high price. Consulting with previous studies about influences of environmental factors on plants, the current study was carried out to investigate flowering characteristics, plant morphology, and potential for year-round high quality blueberry production under different light quality in a plant factory. Materials and methods – Blueberry plants cvs. ‘Misty’ and ‘Sharpblue’ were grown in light emitting diodes (LED) chambers installed with LED of 100% blue (459 nm), 100% red (631 nm), a mixture of 1:1 = red:blue light (a mixture of LED lights). Fluorescent light was used as control. Results and discussion – Cumulative flower number was maximum in ‘Misty’ under blue LED light and in ‘Sharpblue’ under a mixture of LED lights. In ‘Sharpblue’, red LED light encouraged vegetative growth, and plants under blue light were delayed in growth with cessation of shoot elongation. However, a mixture of LED lights and fluorescent ones showed desirable vegetative growth and high potential for continuous flowering. In terms of fruit quality, higher soluble solid content (SSC) and less titratable acidity (TA) were found in fruits under blue LED light and a mixture of LED lights. Bigger fruits were found in plants under a mixture of LED lights and control but comparatively less SSC was found under control. Conclusion – Light quality has been shown to have a strong influence on flowering characteristics, plant morphology, and year-round high quality blueberry production in a plant factory.

Keywords blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum, flower development, light quality, plant growth, controlled environment

Significance of this study

What is already known on this subject?

  • Japanese farmers can extend blueberry harvest season using artificial heating system after dormancy in plastic houses, what enables harvest season from late March (generally it starts from June).
    It has been possible to harvest blueberry two times a year by accelerating plant life cycle under fluorescent light in TUAT plant factory.
What are the new findings?
  • Light quality influenced plant morphology, flowering characteristics, fruit quality and potential for continuous flowering.
    Under a mixture of LED lights, plants flowered early, maximum, and high potential for year-round production, produced bigger fruits with higher soluble solid content and lower acidity compared to other lights.
What is the expected impact on horticulture?
  • This morphological screening will contribute to further studies at molecular level for stable blueberry year-round production in plant factories.

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E-mail: ogiwara@cc.tuat.ac.jp  

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Received: 27 July 2018 | Accepted: 9 November 2018 | Published: 19 February 2019 | Available online: 19 February 2019

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