Why More Standards Are Needed in Horticulture LED Lighting

Posted by Brian Sparks|January 11, 2020

While LED lighting can enhance plant growth in commercial greenhouses, standards are needed to determine the optimal intensity and colors of light. Fortunately, new research at Rutgers University could help improve the energy efficiency of horticultural lighting products.

Many lighting companies market their LED (light-emitting diode) products with claims of delivering an optimal light recipe that often consists of a combination of wavelengths and color ratios, such as a 4-to-1 red to blue ratio on the spectrum (colors of a rainbow). Plant scientists often use this information to evaluate the potential effects of lamps on plant growth and development. But standardized procedures on how to calculate these ratios are lacking, according to a study soon to be published in the journal Acta Horticulturae.

“The more efficient supplemental lighting sources are, the less electric power growers need to finish their crops,” says Senior Author A.J. Both, a Professor and Extension Specialist in controlled environment engineering in the Department of Environmental Sciences in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. “We hope to help make indoor crop production more sustainable and affordable.”

Learn more here.