• Optimized spectra enhance lycopene, vitamin, and polyphenol content. • Targeted LED strategies strengthen defense against pests and diseases. • Advanced spectral sensing supports tomato monitoring and quality control. • IoT-driven smart lighting enables precise, real-time crop management. • Recommendations and future directions in tomato LED cultivation. The advancement of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) has amplified the importance of light quality in crop production, particularly for high-value horticultural crops like tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.). The central research question is to analyse tomato targeted LED light settings focusing on seedling production, plant production and protection, nutritional value, tomato-specific light measurement, design, application, recommendations for growers, and future perspectives. This review synthesizes the latest technological developments in LED grow light applications for tomato cultivation, with a focus on light quality (spectral composition), light quantity (intensity), and light timing (photoperiod). In tomato cultivation, light intensity typically ranges from 200 to 400 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ with a 16–20 h photoperiod, supporting healthy early growth, while lower levels from 100 to 150 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ can sustain photosynthesis during seedling grafting. With an 18 h photoperiod, adding 2 h of night lighting further improved seedling health, biomass, and root activity. Emphasis is placed on how these parameters influence physiological processes and the accumulation of phytonutrients, while also addressing promising lighting strategies with roles in plant protection and post-harvest optimization. The highest lycopene and β-carotene levels were obtained under a B:G:R ratio of 58:30:12 (460, 525, 630 nm) at 150 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹. Blue light from 405 to 462 nm limits Botrytis spoilage, and UV-A/UV-C suppress Fusarium, Oidium, Penicillium . Key aspects of light design, monitoring, and measurement are also discussed, with emphasis on fresh tomato production. The most important light factors in different growing stages of tomato were identified. Coherences of light spectra, intensity, duration, LED−plant placement (geometry) and homogeneity aspects with production-biological traits in fresh tomato CEA experiments were summarized. Plant protection LED applications were explored in depth. Future trends related to tomato CEA production driven by networked sensor systems (internet of things, IoT) based automated systems are discussed as well. Finally, LED light specific recommendations were proposed for tomato growers and consultants.
Sipos et al. (2026) studied this question.