Influence of the radiation intensity of LED light sources of the red-blue spectrum on the yield and energy consumption of microgreens

The significant interest in microgreens all over the world in recent years is associated with the high nutritional value of these products. At the same time, for most types of microgreens, there are conflicting data on the technology of their cultivation, and, in particular, on the minimum required level of illumination. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different levels of light on the growth and development of radishes, cabbage and basil. The experiment was carried out in triplicate and included variants with irradiation of 50, 100 and 200 μmol m −2 ·s −1 . In the course of the research, the influence of the radiation intensity on the height of seedlings, the yield of biomass and the energy efficiency of their production was revealed. The highest yield was obtained in variants using light sources with an intensity of 100 μmol m −2 ·s −1 , while for basil this lighting option was also the most profitable in terms of energy intensity.