Researchers pinpoint how varied light spectra influence crop yields
LumiGrow research, conducted in partnership with commercial growers and universities, demonstrates breakthrough capabilities that adjustable-spectrum LED lighting now provides growers.
Three key findings from the research:
- Crop height, flowering and bushiness can be controlled through the application of varied spectra. This capability is particularly important in the flower industry, where these phenotypes are currently controlled by plant growth regulators (PGRs). A reduction in the use of PGR chemicals may be an unexpected benefit of spectrum control.
- Light can be used to produce higher value food. Spectra have been shown to control flavor and nutritional value in every food tested including broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes and basil.
- Adjustable-spectrum lighting has been shown to be superior to traditional, fixed-spectrum lighting in the production and longevity of flowers suitable for market.
The research supports the advancement of crop- and site-specific precision agriculture into greenhouses and other controlled environment agriculture environments. Previous research primarily focused on optimizing pesticides, nutrients and irrigation. The versatility of networked solid-state lighting technologies, such as the LumiGrow solution, enables novel research into the affect of light, a critical growth variable, on greenhouse crop production.
“LumiGrow is taking LED research from theoretical to practical use, as demonstrated by the success of our growers,” said Melanie Yelton, director of Research at LumiGrow. Dr. Yelton leads research collaborations with scientists at the University of California, Davis; University of Guelph; and Harrow Research Centre, among other prominent institutions and agencies, along with numerous commercial greenhouse operators.
The posters detailing the resulting research are now downloadable in their entirety from the LumiGrow website: www.lumigrow.com
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