Phytochemicals（including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals,phenolic compounds and so on） are one of the most important groups of the bioactive compounds in vegetables and fruits, benefit for human health. The phytochemicals biosynthesis is affected by environmental factors, and light in particular. Light effects can be categorized in photoperiod, intensity and quality. While it is widely known that light intensity can positively affect phytochemicals accumulation, the effects of light quality are more complex and often reported with mixed results. So this review focuses on the currently knowledge about different light quality on the control of phytochemicals biosynthesis. A better knowledge on these regulatory mechanisms will be useful for modifying phytochemicals biosynthesis in vegetables and fruits.
Flavonoids were the most important secondary metabolites in celery （Apium graveolens L.）.In this study,the flavonoid （apigenin and luteolin） contents of leaves and petioles in 44 Chinese celery varieties,an American celery variety ‘Ventura＇ and an European celery variety ‘Princer＇ were assayed by reversed-phase high-perfor mance liquid chromatography （RP-HPLC）.The results showed that significant differences in the apigenin and luteolin contents of the leaves and petioles were found among 46 celery varieties,and the variation coefficients of leaf apigenin content,leaf luteolin content,leaf flavonoid content,petiole apigenin content,petiole luteolin content and petiole flavonoid content were 30％,10％,30％,20％,30％ and 20％,respectively.There was no correlation between the leaf flavonoid content and petiole flavonoid content.The apigenin content was about 18 to 50 times of luteolin in celery leaf and about 19 to 40 times of luteolin in celery petiole.The flavonoids in most of the Chinese celery varieties were higher than in ‘Ventura＇ and ‘Princer＇.The flavonoid contents of Chinese celery varieties from the Yangtze Valley and southern China were higher than those from northern China.Our results suggested that Chinese celery varieties with high petiole apigenin contents could be used for vegetable breeding because the petiole was the main edible part,and Chinese celery varieties with high leaf apigenin contents could be used for apigenin production.
