Horticultural Science and Technology 원예과학기술지 ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different light sources on the levels of glucosinolates (GSLs) in rocket salad (Eruca sativa L.). The light sources used in the study were: natural light (Control-1 or 2), red light-emitting diodes(LEDs), blue LEDs, mixed red and blue LEDs (R+B LEDs), white LEDs, fluorescent lamps (FL), and fluorescent lamps plus UV-C (FL+UV-C). Two separate experiments were conducted [Experiment I: Control-1, Red LED, Blue LED, Mix (R+B) LED and Experiment II: Control-2, White LED, FL, FL+UV-C] because of the limited number of growth chambers in our laboratory. The rate of increase in the length of rocket salad leaves was the highest under red LEDs and, FL confirming that red LED and, FL affect the growth of rocket salad. We separated and identified seven types of GSLs from the rocket salad:glucoraphanin, diglucothiobeinin, glucoerucin, glucobrassicin, dimeric 4-mercaptobutyl GSL, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin, and gluconasturtiin. The highest total GSL contents in Eexperiment I was found in plants grown under in red LEDs (4.30 μmol∙g^-1 dry weight, DW), and the lowest under blue LEDs (0.17 μmol∙g^-1 DW). The highest total GSL contents in Experiment II was found in plants grown under FL (13.45 μmol∙g^-1 DW), and the lowest in FL+UV-C (0.39 μmol∙g^-1 DW). Especially in Experiment II, the content of dimeric 4-mercaptobutyl, which has a strong aroma and spicy flavor in rocket salad, was higher under FL and white LEDs than in Control-2, increasing by approximately 14.9 and 3.2- fold respectively. Therefore, light sources such as red LEDs, white LEDs and FL affected the accumulation of GSLs in rocket salad.