Effects of LED qualities on quality and antioxidation capacity of eggplant fruits

The effects of red light, blue light, red+blue light and white light (control) generated by LED on the quality and antioxidation capacity of fruit and yield of ' Brita' eggplants were stu died. The results showed that under blue LED, the soluble protein, free amino acids contents o eggplant pulps and the anthocyanin content of eggplant peels were significantly higher by 15.1%, 27.2% and 73.6% than control respectively, but flavonoid and phenolic contents of pulps and the yield were significantly lower than those of the other treatments. Under red LED, the eggplant peels flavonoid was remarkably increased, but vitamin C (Vc) and soluble protein contents were consi derably decreased. Under red+blue LED, the soluble sugar of pulps and phenolic, red pigment yellow pigment contents, total antioxidation capacity (TAG) of peels and the yield were significantly higher than those of the other treatments, in which, the TAC of peels and the yield increased by 43.5% and 43.4% compared with control, respectively. Vc, flavonoid and phenolic contents and TAC of eggplant pulps were the highest under white LED. There was significant positive correlation between the phenol content of peels and Vc content of pulps with TAC. Under the protected cultivation condition, an appropriate amount of blue or red LED could improve the quality of eggplant fruit, and red+blue LED was more beneficial to promote the quality of eggplant peels and the yield.