"Effects of supplemental far-red light during distinct developmental phases on plant growth, morphology, biomass partitioning, and sugar content of dwarf tomato varieties.
Researcher/student: Julia Lindeboom (under the supervision of Maria Mastoraki and Ep Heuvelink
💡Tomato has a high economic and nutritional value. The compact size of dwarf tomato plants makes them suitable for growth in vertical farming systems. Providing tomato crops with supplemental far-red light has shown promising results on both an increase in crop yield and a higher dry mass partitioning to the fruits due to an increased sink strength. However, it also further intensifies the challenge of high energy costs in vertical farms.
⏱️One of the factors which influences the distribution of carbohydrates within plants is the plant's growth stage. By applying FR exclusively during specific growth phases of the plant, this research aims to find out whether a shorter, targeted FR application yields similar results on plant growth, morphology, biomass partitioning and sugar content as continuous FR application. Strategic, shorter FR application may provide a cost-effective approach on increasing crop production and quality while minimizing economic and environmental costs," the team shares on LinkedIn.