The taste of UV light

Using sensomics to improve horticultural quality

Abstract

In greenhouses, crops are protected from adverse weather conditions allowing year-round production. However, this comes with a trade-off, which is the lack of UV-A and UV-B exposure. Excess of UV impairs plant growth and nutrient absorption, while lack of UV in greenhouses reduce the synthesis of metabolites associated with nutritional and sensorial quality of plants. Here, we provide insights into how the application of sensomics, an approach that combines top-down system biology approaches, such as metabolomics, with sensory science, can help to bridge the gap between plant science and horticultural quality.