Microgreens are a new trend in food and agricultural sectors. They are a functional food, which contain large amounts of beneficial substances that help maintain the health of a human body. Problems in the production of microgreens often occure during the winter period, where supplemental light is needed for their production. In this research we investigated the influence of HPS and LED supplemental lighting on growth, development and biochemical content of blue and green varieties of kohlrabi microgreens. The experiements were conducted in glasshouse of the Biotechnical Faculty, in three periods during winter, December, 2017, February and March 2018. Kohlrabi microgreens were cultivated in 24 containers, filled with peat substrate. Roughly 600 seeds were used per container. 12 containers were placed under LED and HPS light. In six containers blue kohlrabi and in other six green kohlrabi seeds. Temperatures were aproximately 1 – 1,4°C higher under HPS lighting. Light intensity was measured higher under LED lighting, which also influenced the results. After 7 to 12 days, microgreens were harvested and we measured the amount of germinated seeds, microgreens height, weight and dry mass. Microgreens samples for specrophotometric analysis of pigments were also taken. We analysed chlorophyll a and b, total carotenoids and antocyanins. On average, the LED supplemental light is better for microgreens growth than HPS light.The yield of blue kohlrabi microgreens, grown under LED light was 9.27 g/m2), and the microgreens height was 5.8 cm for white kohlrabi and 6,8 cm for blue kohlrabi and the content of chlorophyll a in white kohlrabi was 0,128 µg/mm2, kohlrabi microgreens (and the anthocyan in blue kholrabi: 0,1270 µg/mg2)
|