Three key findings from the research:

1. Crop height, flowering and bushiness can be controlled through the application of varied spectra. This capability is particularly important in the flower industry, where these phenotypes are currently controlled by plant growth regulators (PGRs). A reduction in the use of PGR chemicals may be an unexpected benefit of spectrum control.

2. Light can be used to produce higher value food. Spectra have been shown to control flavor and nutritional value in every food tested including broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes and basil.

3. Adjustable-spectrum lighting has been shown to be superior to traditional, fixed-spectrum lighting in the production and longevity of flowers suitable for market.

Dr. Melanie Yelton at work in a LumiGrow customer’s greenhouse. (Photo courtesy of LumiGrow Research)

This body of research supports the advancement of crop- and site-specific precision agriculture into greenhouses and other controlled environment agriculture environments. Previous research primarily focused on optimizing pesticides, nutrients and irrigation. The versatility of networked solid-state lighting technologies, such as the LumiGrow solution, enables novel research into the affect of light, a critical growth variable, on greenhouse crop production.”

“LumiGrow is taking LED research from theoretical to practical use, as demonstrated by the success of our growers,” said Melanie Yelton, director of Research at LumiGrow. Dr. Yelton leads research collaborations with scientists at the University of California, Davis; University of Guelph; and Harrow Research Centre, among other prominent institutions and agencies, along with numerous commercial greenhouse operators.

These posters detailing the resulting research are now downloadable in their entirety from the LumiGrow website:

Bush S, Maloof J & Yelton M. Analysis of Arabidopsis light-sensitive mutants grown under different ratios of LED and compared to fluorescent lighting. Poster session presented at American Society of Horticultural Science, 2015; New Orleans, Louisiana.

Byrtus J, Egan K & Yelton M. LEDs control growth and flowering in greenhouse-grown Zinnia marylandia. Poster session presented at ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meeting, 2014; Long Beach, California.

Byrtus J & Yelton M. LED lighting can control plant growth, flavor and aroma in Ocimum basilicum (basil). Poster session presented at ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meeting, 2014; Long Beach, California.

Byrtus J & Yelton M. Supplemental LED lighting increases winter tomato production in central North Carolina greenhouse tomatoes. Poster session presented at American Society of Horticultural Science Annual Conference, 2015; New Orleans, Louisiana.

Holley J, Yelton M & Heiner L. LED lighting and Phalaenopsis orchids, light wavelength effect on the flowering spike. Poster session presented at American Society of Horticultural Science Annual Conference, 2014; Orlando, Florida.

Llewellyn D, Vinson K & Zheng Y. LED superior to HPS for cut gerbera production. Poster session presented at American Society of Horticultural Science Annual Conference, 2014; Orlando, Florida.

Llewellyn D, Kong Y, Zheng Y & Yelton M. Optimum light level for snapdragon production with LEDs. Poster session presented at American Society of Horticultural Science Annual Conference, 2015; New Orleans, Louisiana.

For more information about LumiGrow spectral research, visit www.lumigrow.com, call (800) 514-0487 or email research@lumigrow.com.