Background : This experiment was conducted to study the characteristics of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) growth by LED artificial light source in the plastic house using multi-stage cultivation facility and artificial soil.
Methods and Results : Seedlings of Korean ginseng cultivar cultivated from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm by adjusting the ratio of 1 : 1, 2 : 1 and 3 : 1 for red light and blue light for the LED light quality test. Controls were tested by treating the white light (fluorescent lamps) for the same time. The average temperature inside the plastic house remained above 25℃, then below 25℃ after mid-August and below 20℃ after mid-September. The temperature near the roots of the artificial soils was higher than 26℃ in late July and early August and lowered to 20℃ or lower in all treatments in September. The pH of the soil was in the standard range, but the EC value was 2.89 in the soil before the test and 5.83 in the white light treatment, higher than the standard range of 1.0. The light intensities were 95.3 μmol and 94.9 μmol in the 3 : 1 and 2 : 1 ratios of red and blue light, respectively. The photosynthetic rate was 1.72 μmole CO2/㎡/s in 3 : 1 treatment and 1.9 times higher than white light treatment. As the red light ratio increased, the light amount and photosynthetic rate increased. Growth characteristics of aerial parts (plant height, leaf length etc.) by LED irradiation were longer than that of white light treatment in the 2 : 1 or 3 : 1 treatment of red light and blue light. The root length was the longest at 13.7 ㎝ in the 3 : 1 treatment of red and blue light, taproot length were 6.9 ㎝ and 6.6 ㎝ in the 2 : 1 treatment and 3 : 1 treatment, respectively, longer than 4.3 ㎝ in white light. Root fresh weight was the heaviest (3.6 g/plant) in 3 : 1 treatment for red and green lights.
Conclusion : It was confirmed that the rate of photosynthesis of Korean ginseng was higher than that of white light treatment and the growth characteristics of aerial and root parts were excellent at the ratio of 3 : 1 of LED red light and blue light in plastic house using multi-stage cultivation facility and artificial soil.