Optimizing plant growth with novel high-power LED configurations

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Canada is a world leader in design and production of controlled-environment facilities for plant growth for**production of greenhouse crops, indoor horticulture, and research in the plant sciences. With the advent of**inexpensive light emitting diodes (LED), more efficient lighting options are becoming available, providing the**potential to revolutionize lighting strategies for plant growth under artificial illumination. Numerous challenges**must be overcome before LED's are optimally used for indoor plant growth. These include providing sufficient**light for rapid photosynthesis while minimizing heat load and electrical costs, and optimizing spectral quality**for proper plant development. A significant development in LED technology is the chip-on-board (COB), solid**state design which boosts photon output, reduces heat load, and enables spectral mixing to optimize plant**development. A leading producer of the COB LED design is URSA Lighting of Vaughan, Ontario. Their**OPTILUX luminaire lamp features an array of 16 LED chips that can be modified to vary spectral mix while**maintaining photon output. The performance of plants under their LED products remains uncertain, and**research is required to evaluate the efficacy of various spectrum options and the optimal intensity for indoor**applications. In this proposal, we request $25,000 to initiate a research collaboration with URSA Lighting to**evaluate the physiological and growth performance of leading crops produced in greenhouse and**enclosed-warehouse settings, and to evaluate performance with leading research plants such as Arabidopsis**thaliana. The results will guide URSA Lighting, and the horticultural industry, in optimizing the use of the new**COB LED systems, enabling them to improve efficiency and yield of plants while cutting producer costs.