Controlled-environment systems and led lighting: strategies to enhance plant quality an metabolite production in Lamiaceae cultivation

Controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) enables precise control of light, temperature, humidity and nutrients, allowing optimization of yield, quality and resource efficiency. This thesis investigates species-specific cultivation strategies for Lamiaceae species under indoor conditions, combining tailored LED spectra, moderate abiotic stress and innovative cultivation systems to enhance target secondary metabolites in Coleus blumei and to evaluate the response of Ocimum basilicum L. to an innovative rotational cultivation system. The aim of the research is to develop crop- and metabolite-oriented protocols balancing biomass production with functional quality. In C. blumei, specific LED spectra were used to modulate phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolism. Blue light increased leaf accumulation of rosmarinic acid and apigenin, while combined red–blue light enhanced biomass in both leaves and roots. Prolonged exposure further stimulated metabolite accumulation, indicating time-dependent responses to spectral treatments. When moderate salinity stress was integrated with tailored light spectra, quercetin yield increased significantly without biomass penalties, demonstrating the effectiveness of combined light–stress strategies for targeted metabolite enhancement. In O. basilicum L., an innovative rotative cultivation system was compared with a conventional horizontal setup under identical indoor conditions. The rotative configuration increased fresh and dry biomass by about 20% and improved light use efficiency (LUE) and water use efficiency (WUE) by 13–20%. However, it reduced leaf ascorbic acid content (approximately 2.4-fold) and induced a distinct metabolic profile, with higher phenolic accumulation during storage. The cultivation system did not affect respiration rates or volatile evolution during postharvest storage; after seven days at 12 °C in darkness, volatile profiles were similar between systems. Overall, the results show that spectral management, moderate abiotic stress and innovative cultivation configurations can be strategically integrated to improve productivity and functional quality in indoor-grown herbs, supporting sustainable CEA within the Water–Food–Energy Nexus framework.