Liu John D, Goodspeed Danielle, Sheng Zhengji, Li Baohua, Yang Yiran, Kliebenstein Daniel J, Braam Janet
Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, 77005, USA.
Current Address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
BMC Plant Biol. 2015 Mar 27;15:92. doi: 10.1186/s12870-015-0474-9.
The modular body structure of plants enables detached plant organs, such as postharvest fruits and vegetables, to maintain active responsiveness to environmental stimuli, including daily cycles of light and darkness. Twenty-four hour light/darkness cycles entrain plant circadian clock rhythms, which provide advantage to plants. Here, we tested whether green leafy vegetables gain longevity advantage by being stored under light/dark cycles designed to maintain biological rhythms.
Light/dark cycles during postharvest storage improved several aspects of plant tissue performance comparable to that provided by refrigeration. Tissue integrity, green coloration, and chlorophyll content were generally enhanced by cycling of light and darkness compared to constant light or darkness during storage. In addition, the levels of the phytonutrient glucosinolates in kale and cabbage remained at higher levels over time when the leaf tissue was stored under light/dark cycles.
Maintenance of the daily cycling of light and dark periods during postharvest storage may slow the decline of plant tissues, such as green leafy vegetables, improving not only appearance but also the health value of the crops through the maintenance of chlorophyll and phytochemical content after harvest.
植物的模块化身体结构使离体的植物器官，如采后的水果和蔬菜，能够保持对环境刺激（包括昼夜的日常循环）的积极响应。24小时的光/暗循环会调节植物的昼夜节律，这对植物有利。在此，我们测试了绿叶蔬菜在旨在维持生物节律的光/暗循环下储存是否能获得延长寿命的优势。
采后储存期间的光/暗循环改善了植物组织性能的几个方面，与冷藏相当。与储存期间持续光照或黑暗相比，光暗循环总体上增强了组织完整性、绿色以及叶绿素含量。此外，当叶片组织在光/暗循环下储存时，羽衣甘蓝和卷心菜中植物营养素硫代葡萄糖苷的水平会随着时间的推移保持在较高水平。
采后储存期间维持光暗周期的日常循环可能会减缓植物组织（如绿叶蔬菜）的衰退，不仅改善外观，还能通过收获后维持叶绿素和植物化学物质的含量来提高作物的健康价值。
