Optimizing photoperiod for growth and centellosides biosynthesis in Centella asiatica under vertical farming conditions.
Yang GS, Kang IJ, Sim HS, Jang SN, Lee GO
Crop Improvement
It brings us closer to growing potent, consistent batches of medicinal herbs indoors year-round — meaning the gotu kola supplement or herbal tea you buy could soon be more effective and reliably sourced.
Gotu kola is a leafy herb used in traditional medicine for wound healing and brain health, but its potency depends heavily on growing conditions. Scientists tested different schedules of light and darkness in an indoor growing setup and discovered that certain light patterns made the plants grow bigger and produce more of their beneficial compounds at the same time. This means we could one day grow high-quality medicinal gotu kola in controlled indoor farms regardless of season or climate.
Key Findings
Specific photoperiod (light/dark cycle) treatments significantly increased both plant biomass and centelloside compound concentrations in gotu kola
Vertical farming conditions allowed precise control of light schedules, decoupling medicinal herb production from seasonal and geographic constraints
Optimized photoperiods simultaneously improved growth rate and biosynthesis of therapeutic compounds, resolving a common trade-off in medicinal plant cultivation
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers found that controlling the daily light cycle (photoperiod) in indoor vertical farms can boost both the growth and medicinal compound production of gotu kola, a herb valued for its skin-healing and cognitive benefits.
Species Mentioned
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Centella asiatica, commonly known as Indian pennywort, Asiatic pennywort, spadeleaf, coinwort or gotu kola, is a herbaceous, perennial plant in the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is consume...