What is the "Best" grow light for your CEA operation?

Before growers even consider choosing a grow light for their controlled environment operation they need to have some basic information.

"One consideration is whether their objective is primarily to regulate flowering or to increase growth," said Erik Runkle, horticulture professor at Michigan State University. "There is still some confusion among growers that they can screw in LEDs and expect to generate supplemental light that will increase plant biomass. Growers need to know whether they need low intensity light to regulate photoperiod or high intensity light to increase plant growth. This is one of the first things that needs to be clarified."

Lighting to regulate flowering

Photoperiod lighting would be used to either inhibit or promote flowering.

"Usually photoperiod lighting is very low intensity so it's a lot cheaper lighting solution," Runkle said. "Where photoperiod lighting can go wrong is some growers will install these very low intensity lighting fixtures and say they are seeing a positive growth response similar to what would be expected with a high intensity fixture. What they are really seeing is a change in the leaf shape or the leaf habit that suggest there is more growth. If the biomass of the plants was measured it would show there is no increase in plant growth."

Previously most growers used incandescent bulbs for photoperiod control. Today many growers are replacing incandescent bulbs with screw-in LED bulbs.

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Photo: Light fixtures on the Design Light Consortium Qualified Products List must meet several criteria. These include being able to operate under high humidity levels that commonly occur in controlled environment production facilities. Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

Source: Urban ag News