Morphological and biochemica variability of VIR garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) collection under intensive light culture

The technology of intensive light culture (city farms, vertical farms, plant factories) is actively developing which allows fresh vatable products to be available throughout the year. The search for accessions of various crops that maximize their productive potential under these conditions is of great importance for improving the quality of plant products and breeding work. Among the early ripening crops, garden cress ( Lepidium sativum L.) is of large interest, since it is characterized by a wide variability of forms that differ in economically valuable traits, primarily yield and biochemical composition. However, the influence of growing conditions characteristic of light culture on the manifestation of signs of productivity and quality in garden cress accessions that differ in ecological-geographical origin and botanical affiliation has been practically not studied. In this work, we for the first time carried out a comprehensive assessment of the variability of economically valuable traits of garden cress under conditions of intensive light culture. The purpose of our work was to study phenological, morphological, biochemical and economic characteristics in 72 accessions of garden cress of three varieties, var. latifolium DC., var. sativum Alef. and var. crispum (Medik.) DC. under conditions of intense light culture, and to identify accessions with valuable traits. Morphological description (height and diameter of the rosette, shape and size of leaves) and biochemical analysis were carried out at the stage of technical ripeness. Biochemical analysis included the determination of the content of dry matter, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, chlorophylls and carotenoids. The variability of morphological, phenological and biochemical characteristics of garden cress under intensive light culture was determined. It was noted that the greatest variability was observed in the average plant weight ( Cv = 40.3 %), yield ( Cv = 38.3 %) and anthocyanin content ( Cv = 42.5 %), other parameters were characterized by a middle degree of variability. Late-ripening accessions are characterized by late or slow bolting, larger plant weight (mean 3.6 g) and high dry matter content (mean 9.0 %), while early-ripening forms allow for more vegetations per year and accumulate more ascorbic acid (mean 32.8±5.7 mg/100 g). On average, among the studied accessions, the late-ripening accessions of var. latifolium from Iran (k-91) and Azerbaijan (k-112, k-125, k-131), as well as the accession of var. sativum from Iran (k-92) and the accession of var. crispum from Denmark (k-185), turned out to be productive. Statistically significant differences were found between the accessions and varieties in terms of the content of chlorophylls and carotenoids. The greatest variability in the content of carotenes was in the accessions of var. sativum ( Cv = 24.7 %), in the content of anthocyanins was in the accessions of var. crispum ( Cv = 44,7 %). The accessions of var. latifolium were generally characterized by a high content of the total chlorophylls (124.2±14.0 mg/100 g), carotenoids (37.3±4.4 mg/100 g), carotenes (6.1±0.6 mg/100 g), and β-carotene (5.0±0.6 mg/100 g). We identified accessions of garden cress that are of the greatest interest in terms of development rate, resistance to bolting and formed yield when grown under intensive light culture, as well as potential sources of economically valuable traits for further breeding and obtaining forms of garden cress that are most adapted to conditions of intensive light culture.