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Modulation of the Tomato Fruit Metabolome by LED Light.
Nikolaos Ntagkas1, Ric C H de Vos2, Ernst J Woltering1,3
1Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Metabolites
|July 2, 2020
Summary
Exposing ripening tomatoes to light, especially blue light, enhances health-beneficial compounds like carotenoids and flavonoids. Light also influences taste metabolites, impacting overall fruit quality.
Area of Science:
- Plant Physiology
- Metabolomics
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Tomato ripening involves significant metabolic changes.
- Light is known to influence plant biochemical pathways.
- Direct fruit illumination effects on tomato metabolome are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of light exposure directly on tomato fruit pericarp metabolome during ripening.
- To determine the effects of different light spectra on tomato fruit metabolism.
Main Methods:
- Mature green tomatoes were subjected to controlled light conditions (white light vs. darkness) and different light spectra (blue, green, red, far-red, white).
- Metabolomic profiling of the fruit pericarp was performed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS).
- Analysis covered 554 distinct compounds.
Main Results:
- White light exposure accelerated the accumulation of health-beneficial compounds (carotenoids, flavonoids, tocopherols, phenolic acids) compared to darkness.
- Alkaloids and chlorophylls decreased more rapidly under light.
- Light altered taste-related metabolites such as glutamate and malate.
- Blue light addition was most effective in modifying the fruit metabolome.
Conclusions:
- Light exposure during tomato ripening significantly impacts fruit metabolome.
- Light can modulate the accumulation of health-beneficial compounds and taste-related metabolites.
- Specific light spectra, particularly blue light, can be utilized to influence tomato fruit quality characteristics.
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