Physiological responses, yield and medicinal substance in response to plant density under controlled environmental conditions

Agricultural practice in adjusting planting density and harvest date are important factors for plant development and crop improvement, reaching maximum yields and enhancing the production of secondary metabolites. However, it is unclear as to the optimal planting densities during mass production that encourage consistent, high yield secondary metabolite content. For this, controlled environment, crop production facilities such as plant factories with artificial lighting (PFAL) offer opportunity to enhance quality and stabilize production of herbal plants. This study assessed the effect of plant density and harvest date on physiological responses, yield and andrographolide (AP1) content in Andrographis paniculata (Andrographis) using hydroponic conditions in a PFAL system. Andrographis, harvested at vegetative stage (30 days after transplanting; 30 DAT) and initial stage of flowering (60 DAT) exhibited no significant differences in growth parameters or andrographolide accumulation according to planting densities. Harvest time at flowering stage (90 DAT) showed the highest photosynthetic rates at a planting density of 15 plants m.sup.-2 . Highest yield, number of leaves, and Andrographolide (AP1) content (mg per gram of DW in m.sup.2) were achieved at a more moderate planting density (30 plants m.sup.-2). Finally, five out of seventeen indices of leaf reflectance reveal high correlation (r = 0.8 to 1.0 and r = -0.8 to -1.0, P