Effects of different photoperiods on growth, quality, and photosynthetic parameters of pakchoi in plant factory

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20250320

Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (4): 655-668.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20250320

• Horticultural Science • Previous Articles Next Articles

Effects of different photoperiods on growth, quality, and photosynthetic parameters of pakchoi in plant factory

ZHANG Donghe¹^,²(), CUI Jiawei¹, MIAO Chen¹, LI Xiaofeng¹, ZHAN Xiuping², WANG Qixu², LI Jianyong²^,^*(), DING Xiaotao¹^,^*()

¹ Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201605, China
² Shanghai Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center, Shanghai 201103, China

Received:2025-04-22 Online:2026-04-25 Published:2026-05-08
Contact: LI Jianyong,DING Xiaotao

Abstract

Abstract:

To investigate the effects of photoperiod on the growth and quality of pakchoi (Brassica campestris ssp.chinensis Makino) in plant factories with artificial lighting, four varieties of pakchoi were selected as experimental materials. Four photoperiod treatments were applied: T1, 10 h light/14 h dark (10 L∶14 D); T2, 13 h light/11 h dark (13 L∶11 D); T3, 16 h light/8 h dark (16 L∶8 D); T4, 19 h light/5 h dark (19 L∶5 D). Biomass, growth indices, quality indices, and photosynthetic parameters were measured. The results showed that moderately extending the photoperiod (16 L∶8 D) could improve photosynthetic efficiency and increase plant biomass. The variety Ziyi exhibited the highest shoot fresh weight under the 19 L∶5 D treatment, which was 15.48% higher than that under 13 L∶11 D treatment. The varieties SH-2, Xinxiaqing No. 9, and Yanqing achieved the highest shoot fresh weight under the 16 L∶8 D treatment, with increases of 16.00%, 16.96%, and 23.68%, respectively, compared with 13 L∶11 D treatment. Moderately extended photoperiods also increased the contents of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, and anthocyanins while reducing nitrate content. However, excessively prolonged photoperiods (light duration 19 h·d^-1) led to yield decline and reduced appearance quality during later growth stages, thereby diminishing marketability. This might be attributed to reduced overall PSII activity in some pakchoi varieties under such conditions, consequently inducing photoinhibition. It is recommended to appropriately increase the light duration (16-19 h·d^-1) during the seedling stage and reduce it to approximately 16 h·d^-1 in later growth stages to ensure both yield and quality in pakchoi production within artificial light plant factory.

Key words: pakchoi, artificial light plant factory, soilless cultivation, photoperiod, biomass, fresh weight

CLC Number:

S634.3

ZHANG Donghe, CUI Jiawei, MIAO Chen, LI Xiaofeng, ZHAN Xiuping, WANG Qixu, LI Jianyong, DING Xiaotao. Effects of different photoperiods on growth, quality, and photosynthetic parameters of pakchoi in plant factory[J]. Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis, 2026, 38(4): 655-668.

Figures/Tables 17

References 34

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光谱范围/nm Spectral range/nm	PPFD/(μmol· m^-2·s^-1)	PPF/(μmol· s^-1)
全波段Total(380~780)	221.60	848.016
紫外光Ultraviolet light (380~399)	0.13	0.048
蓝光Blue light (400~499)	67.90	224.760
绿光Green light (500~599)	28.40	94.068
红光Red light (600~699)	125.40	529.080
远红光Far-red light(700~780)	5.60	0.060

光谱范围/nm Spectral range/nm	PPFD/(μmol· m^-2·s^-1)	PPF/(μmol· s^-1)
全波段Total(380~780)	221.60	848.016
紫外光Ultraviolet light (380~399)	0.13	0.048
蓝光Blue light (400~499)	67.90	224.760
绿光Green light (500~599)	28.40	94.068
红光Red light (600~699)	125.40	529.080
远红光Far-red light(700~780)	5.60	0.060

处理 Treatment	叶片的焦边数Leaf edge scorch count
处理 Treatment	紫衣 Ziyi	SH-2	新夏青9号 Xinxiaqing No.9	艳青 Yanqing
T1	0	0	0	0
T2	0	0	2.00	0
T3	0	0	3.33	2.00
T4	0	4.67	8.00	8.67

处理 Treatment	叶片的焦边数Leaf edge scorch count
处理 Treatment	紫衣 Ziyi	SH-2	新夏青9号 Xinxiaqing No.9	艳青 Yanqing
T1	0	0	0	0
T2	0	0	2.00	0
T3	0	0	3.33	2.00
T4	0	4.67	8.00	8.67

品种 Variety	处理 Treatment	株高/cm Plant height/cm	株幅/cm Plant spread/cm	叶片数 Leaf count	最大叶长/cm Maximum leaf length/cm	最大叶宽/cm Maximum leaf width/cm	最大叶柄长/cm Maximum petiole length/cm	最大叶柄宽/cm Maximum petiole width/cm	叶柄厚度/mm Petiole thickness/mm
紫衣	T1	14.12 a	28.02 b	19.6 c	20.97 a	10.50 a	8.43 a	1.23 a	2.80 a
Ziyi	T2	14.82 a	31.20 a	21.6 b	23.10 a	10.80 a	9.50 a	1.60 a	3.24 a
	T3	14.88 a	32.06 a	21.8 ab	22.53 a	10.67 a	8.70 a	1.67 a	3.34 a
	T4	15.54 a	30.50 a	23.2 a	22.00 a	10.87 a	8.20 a	1.63 a	3.20 a
SH-2	T1	12.00 b	29.30 b	18.4 c	18.33 a	10.47 a	6.13 a	2.20 b	3.44 b
	T2	13.22 ab	30.90 a	22.0 b	18.50 a	10.07 ab	5.57 a	2.60 a	3.61 ab
	T3	14.26 a	31.34 a	24.4 a	18.63 a	10.13 ab	5.50 a	2.83 a	4.12 a
	T4	12.40 b	27.36 c	24.2 a	16.57 b	9.30 b	5.07 a	2.63 a	3.35 b
新夏青9号	T1	12.98 b	29.48 a	20.6 c	18.80 ab	10.37 b	6.07 ab	2.27 b	3.85 a
Xinxiaqing No.9	T2	15.92 a	30.24 a	21.4 bc	20.17 a	11.70 a	6.87 a	2.37 ab	4.34 a
	T3	16.84 a	30.76 a	23.0 b	19.77 a	11.13 ab	6.33 ab	2.77 a	4.48 a
	T4	13.96 b	25.80 b	25.4 a	17.57 b	10.43 b	5.40 b	2.43 ab	4.23 a
艳青	T1	14.00 b	29.92 b	19.4 b	21.43 ab	10.93 a	7.63 a	2.30 b	4.15 b
Yanqing	T2	14.80 b	35.72 a	22.4 a	22.53 a	12.00 a	7.43 ab	2.77 a	4.88 a
	T3	14.96 b	35.72 a	23.4 a	20.33 b	11.33 a	6.00 bc	3.03 a	4.95 a
	T4	17.24 a	25.20 c	23.4 a	17.50 c	10.37 a	5.43 c	2.90 a	4.23 b

Effects of different photoperiods on growth, quality, and photosynthetic parameters of pakchoi in plant factory

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