Photosynthetica, 2013 (vol. 51), issue 3

Photosynthetica 2013, 51(3):465-473 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-013-0047-9

Hypobaria and hypoxia affects phytochemical production, gas exchange, and growth of lettuce

C. He1, D. A. Jacobo-Velázquez2, L. Cisneros-Zevallos1, F. T. Davies1,*
1 Department of Horticultural Sciences and Interdisciplinary Program of Molecular and Environmental Plant Sciences (MEPS), Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
2 Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Departamento de Biotecnología e Ingeniería de Alimentos, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, México

Hypobaria (low total atmospheric pressure) is essential in sustainable, energy-efficient plant production systems for long-term space exploration and human habitation on the Moon and Mars. There are also critical engineering, safety, and materials handling advantages of growing plants under hypobaria, including reduced atmospheric leakage from extraterrestrial base environments. The potential for producing crops under hypobaria and manipulating hypoxia (low oxygen stress) to increase health-promoting bioactive compounds is not well characterized. Here we showed that hypobaric-grown lettuce plants (25 kPa ≈ 25% of normal pressure) exposed to hypoxia (6 kPa pO2 ≈ 29% of normal pO2) during the final 3 d of the production cycle had enhanced antioxidant activity, increased synthesis of anthocyananins, phenolics, and carotenoids without reduction of photosynthesis or plant biomass. Net photosynthetic rate (P N) was not affected by total pressure. However, 10 d of hypoxia reduced P N, dark respiration rate (R D), P N/R D ratio, and plant biomass. Growing plants under hypobaria and manipulating hypoxia during crop production to enhance health-promoting bioactive compounds is important for the health and well-being of astronauts exposed to space radiation and other stresses during long-term habitation.

Keywords: bioprotectants; carbon assimilation; chlorophyll content; dark respiration rate; Lactuca sativa; low pressure; oxygen radical absorbance capacity; phytochemicals

Received: August 9, 2012; Accepted: February 11, 2013; Published: September 1, 2013Show citation

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He, C., Jacobo-Velázquez, D.A., Cisneros-Zevallos, L., & Davies, F.T. (2013). Hypobaria and hypoxia affects phytochemical production, gas exchange, and growth of lettuce. Photosynthetica, 51(3), 465-473. doi: 10.1007/s11099-013-0047-9.
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