In the past, commercial greenhouse growers relied on weather conditions being “just right” for the health and well-being of their crops. Today, indoor growers can manufacture such conditions through Sollum’s advanced SUN as a Service® technology. Our LED lighting solution provides ideal wavelengths growers want for plants depending on their growth stages.
Which light spectrum is best for your plants? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, as it often varies from crop to crop. However, different spectrums or colors have different effects on plant growth and are necessary at distinct times in a crop’s life cycle.
Understanding these effects can help you determine the right spectrum settings for your next commercial greenhouse LED light system.
What is the grow light spectrum?
Before you can understand the grow light spectrum, Let’s discover what the “spectrum of light” means in a general context. In this case, the term refers to the range of wavelengths of light, essentially all the different colors of light, that are visible to the human eye. The light spectrum human’s see is a specific section of the larger full spectrum of light.
In the context of growing plants, this spectrum contributes to a species’ photosynthesis, plant structure and growth rate. Since the dawn of time... plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into energy in the form of sugar (glucose) for its food.
Traditionally, the PAR range is defined as 400–700 nm, as this is the spectrum most efficiently absorbed by plants for photosynthesis. However, recent research suggests that far-red light (700–750 nm) can also influence plant growth and development, particularly by enhancing photosynthetic efficiency in certain crops when combined with other wavelengths.
In natural outdoor conditions, the sun provides a full spectrum of light, delivering the necessary wavelengths and intensities for plant growth. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) refers to the range of wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm, which are most crucial for driving photosynthesis. However, emerging studies indicate that light beyond this range, such as far-red, may contribute to plant productivity by affecting processes like shade avoidance and biomass accumulation.
Sollum Technologies: full-spectrumLED greenhouse lighting, mimics these wavelengths, helping the crop with all stages of growth. From propagation, vegetative growth, generative growth/flowering, fruiting and overall plant architecture while improving the yields and quality
Sollum’s LED lighting technology dynamically adjusts both light spectrum and intensity based on the time of day and the specific needs of each crop. This ensures optimal conditions for photosynthesis, enabling plant growth without reliance on natural sunlight.
The human eye may only see distinct light spectrums as red, blue, green, yellow, and orange light. But plants can benefit from the different wavelengths of light, as studies have shown light absorption across the complete spectrum of light. Although, these are at the peak of thePAR range (Purple, Dark Red). Often, the Sun gives off many colors within the spectrum that are critical for photosynthesis and overall plant resilience, but what if you could control the Sun? With our SUN as a Service® technology you can control the Full-Spectrum of light, dynamically driving photosynthesis by the light produced in the grower recipes.
How different light colors affect plant growth?
Full spectrum LED lighting: allows you to adjust the wavelength of the supplemental lighting to your plant’s specific growth stage. Understanding how to set Dynamic LED lighting can help you ensure the most reliable growth for your crops, whether you’re growing flowers, leafy greens, vegetables, or any other type of plant.
Here is how different wavelength spectrums affect plants.
UV light (100-400 nm)
Ultraviolet (UV) light is the only spectrum on the list that is not visible to the human eye. It is also outside the PAR range, but it can still have both positive and negative effects on plant health.
UV wavelengths help plants produce secondary metabolites, which can protect them against UV damage and act as antioxidants. For certain crops, these compounds may add to the medicinal and nutritional value of the plant. Commercial crop growers can utilize UV wavelengths to improve the quality of their production, but they must be careful not to expose plants to too much of this radiation.
High levels of UV radiation can damage plant tissues and inhibit photosynthesis, making plants more susceptible to disease and stress. For this reason, UV light should be used in moderation. Many greenhouse LED lighting systems do not include UV diodes to avoid potential plant stress and unintended effects on crop health.
Blue light (400-500 nm)
Blue light is one of the primary wavelength spectrums involved in plant growth and development. It plays a direct role in crop quality, especially for leafy and flowery vegetation.
Blue wavelengths promote the opening of the stomata, which enables more carbon dioxide to penetrate the leaves. They increase the production of auxins, which contribute to cell elongation, division, and differentiation. Blue wavelength promotes a better root system which is important for long term stability of the crops.
Young plants especially need blue light to foster healthy root systems.
Green light (500-600 nm)
While you may assume that green light plays a significant role in chlorophyll absorption, the opposite is true. While green light is not as critical as red and blue wavelengths for plant growth, it plays a complementary role in photosynthesis, particularly in dense plant canopies.It can penetrate deeper into the foliage, reaching lower leaves and enhancing overall light distribution within the plant structure.
Its main role is supporting inner leaves that other light spectrums may not reach. It can penetrate deeper into the plant canopy, increasing photosynthetic activity for lower leaves to improve overall stability.
Within the broader green light spectrum is yellow, which includes wavelengths between 570 and 590 nm. This spectrum doesn’t significantly impact plant growth, but it can interact with other wavelengths to trigger development.
Red light (600-700 nm)
Red light contributes to several critical development processes and is a major factor in photosynthesis. This wavelength:
- Stimulates the production of auxins, fostering cell elongation and expansion
- Acts as a “floral inducer,” promoting flower growth
- Promotes gibberellin production in conjunction with water, which encourages seed germination
Many commercial LED greenhouse lighting systems prioritize red wavelengths due to these essential benefits.
Far-red radiation
Finally, far-red light affects the plant’s size and shape, including leaf size, stem length, and height.
When plants experience shade from nearby crops, they can detect changes in the amount of red to far-red wavelengths they experience, shifting their growth patterns toward the light source. This encourages the crop to grow larger, an important process for farmers who sell by weight. However, while far-red light can promote larger plants, excessive exposure may lead to elongated, weaker stems in some crops. Additionally, far-red light plays a crucial role in photoperiodic flowering for certain long day plants.
Discover dynamic LED lighting solution for plants from Sollum Technologies
Targeting the correct quantity of supplemental lighting in terms of mols/day along with the different percentages of wavelengths contribute to plant responses and ultimately yield and quality. Determining which spectrum your plants need at any given time requires careful observation, research, and a lot of trial and error. What if there was an easier way to deliver the precise wavelengths for your crops?
At Sollum Technologies, our dynamic LED grow lights adjust the light spectrum to your plants’ needs at various growth stages. Our greenhouse LED lighting solution aim to mimic natural sunlight with unmatched precision.
Pair this system with our SUN as a Service® platform to deliver the perfect wavelength recipe, regardless of your greenhouse’s location or the crop’s native climate.
Contact us today to learn more about our LED grow lights for commercial growers.
Related posts
Unlocking the full potential of cannabis cultivation with dynamic LED lighting