It’s reported that a major tomato producer from Quebec hothouse will cooperate with McGill University and GE on trials of LED lighting aimed at boosting crop yield and cutting energy use.

Les Serres du St-Laurent, which grows Savoura-brand tomatoes under artificial light year-round at a number of greenhouses in the province, will install the LED lighting in its facilities, expecting to keep costs at an acceptable level and through more efficient use of energy.

GE's Canadian commercial LED lighting wing, GE Lighting Solutions Canada Co., will get nearly $1.3 million from the federal Developing Innovative Agri-Products (DIAP) initiative toward the research project.

GE had selected Mark Lefsrud of McGill's department of bioresource engineering to conduct research on plant-specific photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) curves, the specific light wavelength that plants need for optimum growth.