ESTUDO FISIOLÓGICO, MORFOLÓGICO E QUÍMICO DA Stachys byzantina (K. KOCH) SOB DIFERENTES ESPECTROS DE LUZ

Abstract

Lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina K. Koch) is a Non-Conventional Edible Plants that has attracted increasing interest due to its nutritional, functional, and medicinal potential, associated with the presence of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity. Among the environmental factors that influence plant quality, light plays a fundamental role in regulating growth, photosynthesis, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, potentially promoting an increase in the production of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and other antioxidant substances of interest for food and human health. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the development of Stachys byzantina cultivated under controlled environment and exposed to different light spectra, as well as to investigate the effects of these spectra on physiological, morphological, and chemical characteristics of the species. The results showed that light spectral quality significantly influences photosynthetic performance and plant metabolism, promoting distinct responses among treatments and showing potential to modulate the synthesis of bioactive compounds. In general, the use of artificial lighting in indoor cultivation systems proved to be a promising strategy to optimize the production and quality of Stachys byzantina, favoring not only its growth but also the obtaining of products with higher functional and antioxidant value. Thus, the study contributes to the valorization of Non-Conventional Edible Plants and expands the prospects of its use as a functional food and a source of bioactive compounds for different applications.