The combination of red and blue LED can provide ideal spectrum for photosynthesis

Professor emeritus and visiting professor at the center for environmental health urban horticulture science education, Chiba University

At present, many rely on artificial light cultivation of vegetables "plant factory built across Japan, these plants have factories in leafy vegetables cultivation, cultivation of medicinal plants, can be widely used in the production of transplanted seedlings. Compared to the greenhouse, these closed plant factory (CPPS) is the biggest advantage of space saving, water saving, efficient, non polluting, consistent growth, sustainable.

Plant plant technology can be used to minimize the energy consumption and minimum pollution to grow horticultural crops. Light is the most expensive resource for plant photosynthesis, so it is essential to improve LUE. It is possible to significantly reduce the power consumption in plant cultivation by improving lighting, environmental control systems, and selecting suitable plant species in these plants.

So, how to improve the utilization rate of light energy in artificial lighting in the plant factory (LUE), we found several applications through a large number of improved LUE methods: 1, use light source with high electro-optical conversion efficiency, while reducing the cost of light source; 2, reduce the light attenuation; 3, enhance the ratio of light to the surface for 4; ensure that the leaf area index (LAI) for the maximum value of 3; 5, by controlling the environment to enhance the value of F (photosynthesis leads to product quality increase). Future LUE can be raised 2 times, or even 3 times.

We believe that led is a very good energy-saving light source, lighting is very strong, and very little power consumption. The combination of red and blue LED can provide ideal spectrum for plant photosynthesis, and it is an important artificial light source in the field of agriculture and biology in the future. In particular, the 400~700 nanometer wavelength light source is more conducive to the lighting of the plant. But LED lighting for agricultural cultivation areas have to consider the following points, such as cost control, return on investment requirements, as well as heat and life issues to be considered.