LED Light to improve Strawberry Flavour, Quality and Production

A current demonstration in the greenhouses of Wageningen UR in Bleiswijk (the Netherlands) shows positive results of LED light on the quality and production of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa). In this demonstration two strawberry cultivars, Elsanta and Sonata, are exposed to three different light treatments. The first treatment consists of top LED light only (90 μmol m-2 s-1), the second of top LED light with additional LED light on the leaves (200 μmol m-2 s-1) and the last of top LED light with additional LED lighting on the fruits (90 μmol m-2 s-1). Strawberries were harvested two times per week from October till December and each time total production was determined. Repeated measurements on refraction, titratable acid and vitamin C content were conducted in addition to flavour testing by a consumer panel and a sensory expert panel. Results point out that treatment with additional LED light on leaves and the treatment with LED light on fruits results in a significant increase in production, flavour, refraction, titratable acid and vitamin C content. Lighting on fruits causes an even higher increase in vitamin C content than lighting on leaves. The observed effect of additional LED lighting on the fruits is surprising, since only 90 μmol m-2 s-1 was available to the plant compared to 200 μmol m-2 s-1 in the other treatment. Our findings indicate that LED lighting is a promising technique in greenhouse horticulture to optimize flavour, nutritional value and production of strawberries.