Production of Medicinal Plants Under Controlled Environment

Cultivation of medicinal plants under controlled environments allows the optimal environmental control for year-round and maximum production of biomass and medicinal metabolites with consistent biochemical profiles, which are free from biotic and abiotic contaminations.  Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John’s wort) is a traditional medicinal plant that is mainly used for the treatment of neurological disorder and depression. The major medicinal components of H. perforatum are hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin. Our research results indicate that the concentrations of hypericin and pseudohypericin were higher and growth of H. perforatum plants were greater when the plants were grown under controlled environment with artificial light in comparison to those grown in the greenhouse and field conditions.  Environmental conditions such as temperature, CO₂ concentration, irrigation interval, light intensity, and light quality affect the production of biomass and the concentrations of medicinal components of H. perforatum and other medicinal plant species. Opportunities, challenges, and strategies to commercially produce medicinal plants under closed systems with artificial light will be discussed.