Heliospectra, a world leader in intelligent lighting technology for plant research and greenhouse cultivation, is pleased to announce that the Company has been awarded a research grant from Vinnova, the Swedish innovation agency, for an innovation project entitled “LED Lighting to Enhance the Quality of Plants”.

Vinnova promotes sustainable growth by improving the conditions for innovation and social benefits. Over $10 Million will be handed out to a total of 96 different innovation projects around the country.

Heliospectra will test LED grow lighting to stimulate aroma and nutrients in plants, and increase product quality for growers and consumers. Partners will include SP, the Technical Research Institute of Sweden, SLU, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and Chalmers University.

Heliospectra's LED grow lights. (Heliospectra/LEDinside)

“Previous studies have shown that the light quality is very important for the plants’ inner qualities, and we have great hopes to use light to produce the quality we desire in greenhouse-grown herbs” – says Dr. Karl-Johan Bergstrand, researcher at SLU

The project is a continuation of the feasibility study “Lighting’s Importance to the Aroma of Herbs” conducted during the autumn, where basil was grown under carefully controlled conditions under four different lighting regimes, one based on HPS lights and three based on LED light.  Mature plants were harvested and analyzed with respect to a number of quality factors such as growth, the presence of volatile compounds and sensory properties. The study was conducted with financial support from Partnership Horticulture, a national collaboration between academia and the horticultural industry with the aim to create growth and sustainable development in the horticultural sector.

“The results of the preliminary study clearly shows that the nature of light can affect plant development and lay a good foundation for further research on the topic. We want to learn more about how light of different wavelengths affect the aroma production in the plant. The goal is to be able to control and optimize product quality with the aid of light.”- Tim Nielsen, Project Manager SP

Staffan Hillberg, CEO of Heliospectra AB, commented, “This grant, and Heliospectra’s participation in this important study, is testament to the agricultural lighting technology that has been developed and patented by our company.”