The Effects of Light-Emitting Diode and Conventional Lighting on Sorghum Physiology and Sugarcane Aphid Interaction

Light-emitting diodes often are used to substitute and enhance fluorescent or incandescent light for plants that are grown in climate-controlled environments. These lights often are chosen over other light sources because of the light-emitting diodes' durability, long life, enhanced wavelength for specific plant species, lower energy costs, lower surface heat safety risk, and easier ability to incorporate into advanced climate control systems. However, previous studies have shown that characteristics of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Poaceae) are altered under light-emitting diodes. Therefore, we grew 4 cultivars of sorghum in growth chambers with either conventional or light-emitting diodes. Plants were infested with either the sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) or were un-infested (control). Sorghum grown under light-emitting diodes was shorter and produced more leaves that were wider than those of plants grown under conventional lights. Two of the cultivars had lower photosynthetic rates and reduced stomatal conductance under light-emitting diodes. When exposed to sugarcane aphids, resistant cultivars tolerated aphid feeding with reduced damage under conventional lights but were similar to susceptible cultivars when grown under light-emitting diodes. Our results suggest that light-emitting diodes affect sorghum physiology and morphology, and also compromises resistance to herbivores. Our study provides further evidence that the physiological effects of different light spectra and interaction of plant defenses and herbivores need to be tested across a broad range of plant groups. Los diodos emisores de luz a menudo se utilizan para sustituir y mejorar la luz fluorescente o incandescente para las plantas que se cultivan en entornos con clima controlado. Estas luces a menudo se eligen en lugar de otras fuentes de luz debido a la durabilidad de los diodos emisores de luz, su larga vida útil, su longitud de onda mejorada para especies específicas de plantas, sus costos de energía más bajos, su riesgo de seguridad contra el calor superficial más bajo y su capacidad más fácil de incorporarse a sistemas avanzados de control climático. Sin embargo, estudios previos han demostrado que las características de Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Poaceae) se alteran bajo luces de diodos emisores de luz. Por lo tanto, cultivamos 4 cultivares de sorgo en cámaras de crecimiento con luces convencionales o con diodos emisores de luz. Las plantas