An overview of the recent developments and current status on the preharvest application of LED technology in controlled environment agriculture

The use of supplemental light has been proven to be effective in growing plants in controlled environments. These light sources have been proven effective in influencing both, developmental and phytochemical pathways. Among artificial/supplemental lights, light emitting diodes (LEDs) offer several advantages and unique properties. Consequently, the use of this novel technology has gained popularity in indoor plant cultivation. In this review, recent achievements and progress related to the preharvest application of LED technology are discussed, starting from the selection of appropriate LED wavelengths to varying photoperiod to enhance crop growth, yield, and phytochemical concentrations. The review further summarises the recent developments in the use of LED technology for cultivating crops hydroponically and the economic implications of LED usage is briefly discussed. Lastly, the future prospects and research directions are presented.