Integrative multi-omics reveal the impact of different light spectra on lateral branching and growth of medicinal plant Artemisia argyi
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Light quality is a decisive environmental regulator of growth and secondary metabolism in medicinal plants, yet the spectral requirements of Artemisia argyi , a species prized for bioactive metabolites such as artemisinin, eupatilin, and jaceosidin, remain poorly defined. This study integrated physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses to evaluate the response of A. argyi to 4 weeks of supplemental light-emitting diode (LED) lighting of three spectral compositions: blue–red (BR, 3:1), red–blue (RB, 3:1), and white (control), with three biological replicates per treatment. Physiologically, BR light produced the tallest stems, the largest and densest foliage, and the greatest stem diameter, shoot fresh and dry weight, and number of lateral branches; relative to RB and white light, plant height increased by 109%, 100%, 78%, and 8.6% and leaf number by 51.61%, 58.33%, 37.20%, and 4.2% across weeks 1–4, accompanied by higher antioxidant enzyme activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. RNA sequencing yielded 44.18–50.75 million raw reads per sample with a mapping ratio of 83.47%–87.06% and Q30 > 94%. Pairwise analysis identified 2,025 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 1,173 upregulated and 852 downregulated) for BR vs. RB, 974 (652 upregulated and 322 downregulated) for BR vs. white, and 601 (141 upregulated and 460 downregulated) for RB vs. white, enriched in light-responsive, photosystem, chlorophyll- and proline-metabolism and circadian pathways. Key regulators included the two-component response regulator-like APRR1 (a CheY-like phosphoacceptor), proline dehydrogenase (ProDH), the chlorophyll b reductase NOL, and terpenoid-backbone (isoprene) genes. Metabolomic profiling detected 174, 129, and 81 differentially accumulated metabolites in BR vs. RB, BR vs. white, and RB vs. white, respectively, with 486 metabolites up- and 459 downregulated in BR vs. RB and pronounced enrichment of amino acid, carbohydrate, lipid, and secondary-metabolite (flavonoid, terpenoid, and alkaloid) biosynthesis. Collectively, these results demonstrate that BR supplemental light coordinately enhances growth, lateral branching, and bioactive-compound biosynthesis, offering a practical basis for the precision cultivation of A. argyi and the targeted production of its medicinal compounds.
Source: Frontiers in Plant Science
Language: English
Topic: Light effects on plants
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7221455534