Experimental study on the effect of light quality on the quality of hydroponic Cichorium endivia L. in plant factory with artificial light

In recent years, plant factories have developed rapidly and played an important role in modern agricultural production. Finding the best lighting formula has become the most basic and important research topic for the industrialization of the plant factory with artificial lighting (PFAL) hydroponic Cichorium endivia L. In this paper, the LED plant growth lamp with adjustable ratio of red, blue and white light intensity was used as the light source for the growth of C. endivia L., with 5R:8B:7W, 6R:7B:7W, 5.5R:8B:6.5W as the treatment group and white LED as the control group, the growth characteristics and nutritional quality of the grown plants of C. endivia L. were compared and analyzed through experiments. It was found that under the combined illumination of 5.5R:8B:6.5W, the leaves of C. endivia L. had the largest number, and the contents of VC (Vitamin C) and carotene were the highest. Under 6R:7B:7W illumination, the content of chlorophyll and soluble sugar was the highest. The combination illumination with the ratio of blue and white light slightly larger than that of red light was the most suitable illumination for hydroponic cultivation of C. endivia L. in PFAL.