bedrijfsnieuws over UV-A: The "sunlight booster" for high-quality agricultural products

UV-A: The "sunlight booster" for high-quality agricultural products

  The technology of using UV-A light to improve the quality of fruits and vegetables has been an important innovation direction in the agricultural field in recent years, and has been particularly used in precision agriculture and plant factories.

 When plants perceive UV-A light as a mild environmental stress signal, they activate internal defense mechanisms, and the byproducts of these defense responses are bioactive molecules. Specifically, UV-A can:

  1.Enhance Color and Flavor: UV-A stimulates the synthesis of defensive pigments such as anthocyanins and carotenoids, giving fruits like strawberries and tomatoes their vibrant color and boosting their antioxidant capacity. It also promotes the production of secondary metabolites such as terpenes, enriching the fruit's complex aroma and unique flavor.

  2.Increase Sweetness and Nutrition: Through metabolic regulation and mild stress, UV-A helps accelerate the accumulation and conversion of total soluble solids (TSS), or sugars, directly increasing the fruit's sweetness. Furthermore, it significantly increases the content of antioxidants such as phenolic compounds and flavonoids, enhancing the fruit's overall nutritional value.

  UV-A stimulates the synthesis of these pigments and also helps absorb excess UV rays, protecting internal structures. Free radical-scavenging antioxidants are synthesized, enhancing the color and nutritional value of ripening fruit. UV-A also increases as a secondary metabolite that helps plants resist environmental stress, including UV radiation. It affects the distribution and transport of photosynthetic products, or, even under mild stress, accelerates sugar accumulation and conversion within the fruit.

  In strawberries and tomatoes: Appropriate UV-A exposure can significantly increase the total phenolic compounds and total antioxidant capacity of the fruit.

  Vitamins: Studies have shown that UV-A may affect the biosynthesis pathways of certain vitamins (such as vitamin C), thereby increasing their content.

  Agricultural Implications
Quality Optimization: Farmers can use UV-A LEDs as supplemental light sources during the final stages of fruit ripening to catalyze the synthesis of these beneficial molecules, resulting in higher-quality agricultural products with more appealing appearance, enhanced flavor, and higher nutritional value.

Reduced Chemical Dependence: Enhanced defensive bioactive molecules (such as phenols) help plants resist certain pathogens, indirectly reducing reliance on pesticides.

Precise Control: The advantage of LEDs lies in their ability to precisely control wavelength, intensity, and exposure time. This allows farmers to customize the optimal spectrum formulation for the needs of different crops at different growth stages, achieving the goal of "programming crop quality with light."