Growth, Water-Use Efficiency, Stomatal Conductance, and Nitrogen Uptake of Two Lettuce Cultivars Grown under Different Percentages of Blue and Red Light

The objective of this study was to characterize growth, water-use efficiency (WUE), stomatal conductance (g(s)), SPAD index values, and shoot nitrogen uptake of two lettuce cultivars grown under different percentages of blue and red light. The treatments evaluated were 100% red; 7% blue + 93% red; 26% blue + 74% red; 42% blue + 58% red; 66% blue + 34% red; and 100% blue. Broad-spectrum (19% blue, 43% green, and 38% red) light was used to observe the effects of wavelength interactions. All of the treatments provided an average daily light integral (DLI) of 17.5 mol.m(-2).d(-1) (270 +/- 5 mu mol.m(-2).s(-1) over an 18-h photoperiod). The experiment was replicated three times over time; each terminated 21 days after treatment initiation. Leaf area, specific leaf area (SLA), and SPAD index had a similar response in that all of the parameters increased with up to 66% blue light, and slightly decreased or remained constant with 100% blue light. In contrast, leaf number, shoot dry mass, and WUE generally decreased in response to blue light. Conversely, for every 10% increase in blue light, g(s) increased by 10 mmol.m(-2).s(-1). Nitrogen uptake was unaffected by light quality. Our findings indicate that when grown under different blue and red photon flux ratios, the WUE of lettuce significantly decreases under higher blue light, which could be attributed to a reduction in plant growth (leaf number and dry mass), and an increase in g(s). However, green light within broad-spectrum lamps might counteract blue-light mediated effects on g(s) and WUE in lettuce.