ABSTRACT
Growth and bioactive compounds of baby-leaf chicory on colored cultivation benches with different wavelengths

Tassila Aparecida do Nascimento de Araújo1, Edilson Costa1*, Thaise Dantas1, Flávio Ferreira da Silva Binotti1, Eduardo Pradi Vendruscolo1, Gustavo Haralampidou da Costa Vieira1, Fernanda Cristina Silva Ribeiro1, Sandro Marcio Lima2, and Luis Humberto da Cunha Andrade2
 
Care for human well-being and health requires the consumption of healthy foods, and therefore, the “baby-leaf” gains increased space in the market as they have higher concentrations of bioactive compounds. The present study aimed to evaluate the growth and bioactive compounds of baby-leaf chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) according to the color of cultivation benches with different wavelengths. The experiment was conducted in a non-acclimatized greenhouse, covered with low density polyethylene film with an aluminized screen of 50% shading under the film and 50% shading screens on the sides. In a completely randomized design, five types of benches were evaluated without and with bright reflective colored materials: Control bench without reflective material, a bench with reflective bright white laminate, reflective bright dark red laminate, reflective bright dark blue laminate, and reflective bright yellow laminate. The bright white and yellow laminates amplified the most photosynthetically active radiation. All the laminates enhanced yield of baby-leaf chicory plants, where white, yellow, red, and dark blue enhanced the fresh matter by 102.6%, 50.2%, 60.6%, and 37.4% compared to the control, respectively. The bright dark blue laminates enhanced the bioactive compounds of baby-leaf chicory plants. The bright dark blue laminate enhanced the carotenoid production of baby-leaf chicory plants by 11.0%. The use of colored laminates was effective in the cultivation of baby-leaf chicory, both in terms of yield and quality, with significant increases in fresh matter and bioactive compounds. To provide baby-leaf chicory with higher bioactive content with antioxidant effect (carotenoids) the use of dark blue laminates is necessary; however, if the objective is greater shoot DM it will be white laminates.
Keywords: Cichorium intybus, light supplementation, phytochemicals, reflected photosynthetically active radiation.
1Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul (UEMS), Unidade Universitária de Cassilândia 79540-000 Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil.
2Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul (UEMS), Unidade Universitária de Dourados, 79825-070, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil.
*Corresponding author (edilson.costa@uems.br).