Enhanced biomass and essential oil yield in Coriandrum sativum L. through optimized additional night-time LED light spectra and dose

Abstract This study investigated the effects of supplemental light spectra and doses on essential oil yield, composition, and antimicrobial activity of Coriandrum sativum L. grown in Hanoi, Vietnam. Plants were cultivated for 9 weeks under varying light conditions: (i) different ratios of red and blue combined with ultraviolet A, green and/or far red, and (ii) lighting durations of 4, 6, or 8 h/night at photosynthetic photon flux density of approximately 120 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Essential oils analysis identified four main constituents: linalool (21.06–44.13%), decanal (8.18–13.55%), (2 E )-decenal (15.42–29.25%), and (2 E )-dodecenal (3.32–8.72%). Supplemental lighting significantly affected plant biomass and oil yield ( p < 0.001). The F2 treatment (75% red: 16.7% blue: 8.3% UV-A at 120 µmol·m -2 ·s -1 in 6 h/night) produced the highest fresh biomass, dry biomass, essential oil, and linalool yields, increasing by factors of 1.88, 1.92, 2.69, and 4.84, respectively, compared with the control (solar light only). All oil samples inhibited growth of the seven tested microbial strains, though with varying effectiveness. Notably, treatment F4 showed the strongest activity against Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , and Candida albicans . Overall, the results highlight the strong influence of spectral composition and light duration on biomass, oil yield, and antimicrobial activity of C. sativum , and demonstrate the potential of tailored LED lighting to enhance both productivity and quality in cultivation of C. sativum .