Effect of Light Intensity and Temperature on the Growth and Functional Compounds in the Baby Leaf Vegetable Plant Peucedanum japonicum Thunb

This study was carried out to determine the optimal light intensity and temperature for cultivation ofPeucedanum japonicum Thunb., a new baby leaf vegetable, and to improve the functional compoundsthrough short-term stress just before harvesting. Plants were cultivated in a controlled environmentat a temperature of 25 ± 1°C and relative humidity of 60 ± 5% for 16 days. Plants 3-5 cm high with1stand 2ndtrue leaves were grown with different light intensities or temperatures. Treatments were50, 100, 250, or 500 μmol·m-2·s-1PPFD and 18/14°C, 24/20°C and 30/26°C of day and nighttemperature. At the harvest time of the baby leaf vegetables, growth, chlorophyll content, andfunctional compounds were investigated. The optimum light intensity for growth of P. japonicumThunb. was PPFD 250 for 12 days, and the best temperature was 24/20°C. Total phenolic contentwas higher under high light intensity and low temperature treatment. When the plants were treatedfor 3 days with temperature (18/14°C and 25/20°C) and light intensity (PPFD 200 and 500) beforeharvesting, there was no difference in growth, but total phenolic content was high in PPFD 200 or500 under 18/14°C treatments. Free radical activity (DPPH) was significant for temperature and lighttreatment. The highest free radical activity was in PPFD 500 under 18/14°C treatments. Therefore,after cultivation at optimal light and temperature, low-temperature treatment for three days beforeharvesting was effective for enhancing the functional contents. KCI Citation Count: 0