Abstract

This dataset presents experimental data collected to evaluate the effects of different combinations of photoperiod and light intensity, applied at a constant daily light integral (DLI, 9.75 ± 0.15 mol m⁻² d⁻¹), on plant growth, morphology, yield, and resource use efficiency in a commercial vertical farming system. The experiment was conducted at Nära Sverige AB, a commercial vertical farm located in Stockholm, Sweden, and included four leafy vegetable crops: crispy lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), canasta lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), pak choi (Brassica rapa L.), and green kale (Brassica oleracea L.). Three lighting regimes were compared: 14 h d⁻¹ at 190 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (14/190), 18 h d⁻¹ at 150 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (18/150), and 24 h d⁻¹ at 115 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (24/115). At harvest (31 days after sowing), destructive measurements were performed to assess morphological and growth-related parameters, including plant height, leaf number, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, fresh weight, and dry weight. Light use efficiency (LUE) and lighting energy use efficiency (L-EUE) were calculated to quantify crop productivity relative to light input and electrical energy consumption. Results showed species-specific responses: continuous light (24/115) improved plant height and L-EUE in lettuce varieties, while pak choi exhibited higher leaf width and LUE under shorter, more intense light exposure. Overall, this dataset provides a comprehensive quantitative foundation to assess how photoperiod and light intensity combinations at constant DLI shape plant architecture, yield, and energy use efficiency across commercially relevant leafy vegetable species.