Controlled LED Lighting for Horticulture: A Review
Emmanouil D. Fylladitakis
Abstract
As energy gradually becomes a more valuable commodity, the desire for reduced energy losses strengthens. Lighting is a critical field on this matter, as it accounts for a large percentage of the global electricity consumption and modern lighting systems are greatly more efficient than incandescent, discharge, and fluorescent lights. Previous research has proven that plants do not require the entire visible spectrum but react only to specific wavelengths, making it possible to control their growth and yield via artificial lighting. The flexibility of control of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights allows for the combination of great energy losses reduction and controlled plant growth, achieving the improvement of two major parameters in a single action. This review paper summarizes the current research on the effect different light wavelengths have on specific plant species and discusses the applications of LED lighting for horticulture, yield storage, and disease protection.