Principles of Crop Science

(CRSCI 1100)

Plant Environment

(Experiment 2. Light quality)

A laboratory requirement presented to administrators

November 2023
 Light quality

Treatment No. 1 (2 layers of blue colored cellophane)

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

Day 4 Day 5 Day 6

 Day 7

Interpretation

On day one (1), the mungbean plant appeared without much

unusual characteristics. It basically has short stem and small
to average size dark green leaves. This result is the same
with the study of Runkle (2017) and according to him,
generally, the extension growth is being suppressed by the
blue light; plants that are under blue light tend to have
short size stem and smaller, thicker, and darker green color
leaves in contrast to plants that are grown in an absence of
blue light. In line with this, in terms of leaf color, Runkle
(2017) further explained that radiation with shorter
wavelengths particularly blue light is capable of stimulating
the formation of compounds that can cause effect to the
coloration of leaf. For instance, the plants that contain
purplish leaves outdoors could have green leaves if the blue
light will become absent. Aside from that, blue light has the
capacity to increase the production of antioxidants and
specific vitamins needed by the plant. Therefore, blue light
is essential in increasing crop quality attributes namely leaf
coloration and nutrition.

Based on the images above, it can be observed that

the stem of mungbean plant from day 2 up until day 7 has
become taller and moves in downward pattern rather than in
upright pattern. Phototropic responses of plants are mainly
mediated by blue light (Briggs and Christie, 2002; Christie,
2007; Holland et al., 2009). Generally, upon the lateral blue
light exposure of plant, the stem’s shaded side tend to
respond with longitudinal cell elongation that is more
enhanced (Iino, 2001). Liscum and Stowe-Evans (2000) explained
that this particular effect is probably caused by lateral
auxin gradient’s reorganization within the location of the
stem in order to form an increased capacity of cell elongation
on the side that is experiencing more shade.

In conclusion, blue light has a significant effect

to the coloration of the leaves. This type of light also
affects the plant in the way that it compromises the plant’s
Phototropism.

Treatment No. 2 (2 layers of red colored cellophane)

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6

Day 7

Interpretation
Based on the images above, it can be observed that the
stem of mungbean plant is also long similar to those plant
under blue light. The reason is red light is still capable of
helping stems to elongate (Zhen, 2023). The result depicts
that plant particularly mungbean plant will not be able to
achieve its full growth potential and it was proven by Runkle
(2016) as he explained that most of the time, plants that are
grown under only red light and without other type of light
tend to struggle on achieving desirable growth
characteristics. Jin (2023) also supported the growth pattern
of plants under red light as he stated that red light is
capable of increasing the organic matter accumulation through
increasing the root growth which consequently speeds up the
plants’ growth rhythm. In the case of the experiment, the
plant solely received red light and therefore that light might
have altered the growth rhythm of mungbean plants.

Moreover, mungbean plant under red light is quite better

than the mungbean under blue light in terms of growth
structure is because after the absorption of red light,
gibberellins are being synthesized in plants (Brian, 1958).
Gibberellic acid is known as a plant hormone that stimulates
plant growth and development (Gupta, 2013). It is also
consistent in the study of Köhler (1966). Based on his
experiment, a significant amount of gibberellic acid has
occurred in etiolated peas after 24 h of irradiation with red
light.

In conclusion, red light caused both undesirable effects

to mungbean plant as the plant possesses problems in the stem
length while it is considered to be better than the mungbean
under blue light because of the pressense of gibberellins
formed by red light.

Treatment No. 3 (Red and blue cellophane on top of the other)

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6

Day 7

Interpretattion

Mungbean plant under both red and blue light is

considered to be the most successful plant among the four
light conditions because red and blue light are the most
essential colors for a plant. “Blue (B) and red (R) light are
the most effectively utilized wavelengths during plant
photosynthesis because the absorption spectra of the
photosynthetic pigments mainly focus on the B (400–500 nm) and
R (600–700 nm) light spectra” (Xin et al., 2020). Therefore,
the mungbean plants under red and blue light achieved its
highest possible rate of photosynthesis.
 It is also consistent in the study of Yang et al. (2021).
Based on their study, the combination of red and blue light is
more beneficial in the way that the growth aspect is enhanced.
Under this combined light, the parameter values of plant
growth, leaf development, photosynthetic pigments and
characteristics, and carbon and nitrogen metabolism were all
in maximum capabilities.

In conclusion, the combination of red and blue light is

the most ideal light for mungbean plant because of its ability
to enhanced the plant growth.

Treatment No. 4 (2 layers of uncolored (clear) cellophane)

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

Da
y 4

Day 5 Day 6
 Day 7

Interpretation
Based on the images above, it is clearly seen that the
mungbean under clear light has the longest stem and it has
also large leaves. Cope and Bugbee (2013) supported this
result. Based on the result of their experiment, the plant
under white or clear light has increased the rate of stem
elongation and the expansion of leaves. In contrast, the plant
under blue light is more compact. Clear or white light is
capable of promoting growth of short, sturdy hypocotyls. The
study of Lalge 2017 et al. (2017) is also consistent with the
result. In their study, the plants under the white or clear
light achieved an average leaf area of 100.03 cm 2 whereas
plants under blue and red light attained an average leaf area
of 79.54 cm2. Moreover, the plants in white/clear light express
an increase in the height while those in blue and red
treatment did not.

In conclusion, white or clear light still encourages

excessive increase in the size of mungbean plant and the
combined blue and red light are still considered as the most
ideal light for plant.
 References

Runkle, E. (2017). Effects of blue light om plants.

Technically speaking.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/floriculture/uploads/files/blue-

Forreiter, C. (2011). A Negative Effector of Blue Light-

Induced and Gravitropic Bending in Arabidopsis. Plant
physiology.
https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article/156/1/439/6111546

Jin, D., Su, X., Li, Y., Shi, M., Yang, B., Wan, W., Wen, X.,
Yang, S., Ding, X., & Zou, J. (2023). Effect of red and
blue light on cucumber seedlings grown in a plant
factory. Horticulturae, 9(2), 124.
https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9020124

Gupta, R. (2013). Gibberellic acid on plant. Plant signaling

and behavior.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4002599/
Li, Y., Xin, G., Liu, C., Shi, Q., Yang, F., & Wei, M. (2020).
Effects of red and blue light on leaf anatomy, CO2
assimilation and the photosynthetic electron transport
capacity of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seedlings.
BMC Plant Biology, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-

Di, Q., Li, J., Du, Y., Wei, M., Shi, Q., Li, Y., & Yang, F.
(2020). Combination of Red and Blue Lights Improved the
Growth and Development of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Seedlings by Regulating Photosynthesis. Journal of Plant
Growth Regulation, 40(4), 1477–1492.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-020-10211-3

Cope, K. R., & Bugbee, B. (2013). Spectral Effects of Three

Types of White Light-emitting Diodes on Plant Growth and
Development: Absolute versus Relative Amounts of Blue
Light. Hortscience, 48(4), 504–509.
https://doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.48.4.504

Lalge, A (2017). THE EFFECTS OF RED, BLUE AND WHITE LIGHT ON

THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CANNABIS SATIVA L. Mendel net.
http://www.plantgrower.org/uploads/6/5/5/4/65545169/lalge