Giving a tomato plant a small dose of UV-C radiation acts like a vaccine that makes the fruit bigger and more nutritious.
April 26, 2026
Original Paper
Hormetic effects of pre-flowering UV-C radiation on tomato: Enhancing physiological efficiency, yield, and fruit nutritional quality
SSRN · 6641764
The Takeaway
Ultraviolet light is usually associated with damage, but in small controlled amounts, it triggers a beneficial stress response in plants. Tomato plants treated with low doses of UV radiation before they flower produce a higher yield of fruit. These tomatoes also contain significantly more lycopene and other healthy antioxidants. The radiation forces the plant to boost its internal defense systems, which translates to better health for the people who eat them. This technique provides a way to grow better food without using extra chemicals or fertilizers.
From the abstract
Sustainable agriculture requires strategies to increase food production, such as controlled light spectrum treatments. This study investigated the impact of low, accumulated doses of UV-C and UV-B radiation on the physiology, yield, and fruit quality of Solanum lycopersicum. Plants were treated weekly for four weeks, receiving a total dose of 53 J m⁻² UV-C and 10.29 J m⁻² UV-B. The results demonstrated that while photosynthetic pigment´s concentration decreased toward the end of the treatment, t