Optimization of Brassicaceae microgreens growth and antioxidant activity under LED light spectra for enhanced nutritional quality

Abstract This study investigated the effects of various LED light spectra on the growth, biochemical composition, and antioxidant activities of microgreens from the Brassicaceae family, including broccoli, cabbage, pak choi, and radish sango. The microgreens were grown under different LED light treatments (red, blue, yellow, and green), and their morphological, biochemical, and antioxidant parameters were analyzed. The results indicated that red and blue LEDs significantly enhanced the morphological parameters (fresh weight, shoot height, and leaf area), biochemical (total phenols, anthocyanin, ascorbic acid, and glucosinolates), and FRAP antioxidant activity of microgreens, with blue LED light having the most substantial impact on overall plant growth. The Brassicaceae microgreens exhibited a wide range of photosynthetic pigments and bioactive compounds, including total chlorophyll (9.05–53.48 µg/g), carotenoids (2.24–9.02 µg/g), anthocyanins (3.07–66.36 µmol/100 g), total phenols (246.16-365.07 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (13.67–42.33 mg QUE/100 g), and glucosinolates (17.60-39.25 µmol/g), reflecting their strong nutritional and antioxidant potential. Among all LED light treatments, broccoli microgreens exhibited the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity (73.80%) under blue LED light, whereas radish sango microgreens showed the highest ferric-reducing antioxidant power (27.15 µmol TE/g) under yellow LED light. This study highlights the potential of LED lighting to optimize microgreen production by tailoring light conditions to enhance specific nutritional qualities. This research opens avenues for producing microgreens with customized nutritional profiles, potentially benefiting both commercial agriculture sectors and health-oriented agriculture and food industry sectors.