<i>In vitro</i>growth of<i>Cymbidium</i>plantlets cultured under superbright red and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

Abstract

SummaryThe effects of light generated by superbright blue and red LEDs on the growth of Cymbidium plantlets cultured in vitro have been studied. Leaf growth, chlorophyll content and shoot and root weights were affected by different LED irradiations. Red light promoted leaf growth but decreased chlorophyll content. This was reversed by blue light. The growth of Cymbidium plantlets in terms of increase in total shoot and root weights was comparable under red plus blue LEDs and the fluorescent systems. Generally, the response to different LED was similar for plantlets grown on sugar-free medium with or without CO2 enrichment and sugar-containing medium but without CO2 enrichment. The growth of Cymbidium plantlets was enhanced by CO2 enrichment. Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of a total irradiation system for Cymbidium plantlets growth in vitro. The significance of our findings in relation to the development of a suitable lighting system for plant tissue culture is discussed.