April 2019 - 20

CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT
engineering at Rutgers University's
Department of Environmental Sciences.
" Manufacturers can select different
LEDs that produce different colors of
light (e.g., blue and red). By changing
which colors are turned on and their
intensity, different spectra (color
combinations) can be produced based
on plant requirements. Such changes
can be implemented daily or seasonally
depending on what the plant needs
during its various growth stages. "
But the increased interest in and
availability of LED lamps has resulted in
questions and concerns from growers,
particularly when considering that the
Shining light on lamps
Researchers suggest detailed manufacturer labels
A greenhouse lamp's performance is tested inside an integrating sphere. Photos: Rugters/Purdue
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Greenhouse lamps are not all created
equal - that's the thesis of a group of
researchers who studied the output
of a variety of light sources and now
advocate for the hardware to bear
detailed information labels.
LED lamps are fast becoming
common equipment in new modern
greenhouses. Urban or " vertical " farms
grow leafy greens exclusively with
LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, but even
traditional greenhouses tomatoes and
other vegetable crops use the lamps to
supplement the sun's rays with certain
spectra of light. The LED lamps and the
spectrum they produce can be tuned to
a specific crop and used in concert with
crop nutrition programs.
" That's one of the advantages of LED
lamps, " said A.J. Both, an Extension
specialist in bioenvironmental
investment costs can be high.
" There are several inferior products
out there, " Both said. He was part of a
team that studied lamp performance,
including a variety of new LED lamps.
He and others are now advocating
that manufacturers participate in a
voluntary program to label horticultural
lamps with vital statistics about their
electrical requirements and output.
" We felt that if there was a label
that was used among the various
manufacturers then growers would
have a way to assess the claims that
were made, to make sure that the
information they used to make
decisions was actually based on
independent information, and not just
from a salesperson promoting their
SPECTER
High Yielding Potential
Uniform Shape and Size
Large, Firmly Attached Handle
Semi-Hard Shell To Keep Color
Longer
* For Sale In FL, GA, SC, NC, TN, AL, MS ONLY
EVERGLADES
Strong Emergence
Nice Dark Green Package
Good Kernel Contrast
76-78 Days To Maturity
TOP BUNCH 2.0
New Generation of Top Bunch
Vigorous, Rapid Regrowth
Early Maturing Hybrid
Wavy, Lightly Savoyed Leaves
PERFECT 10
Strong, Vigorous Plant
Impressive Disease Package
Very Consistent Performance
Long, Dark Green Fruit
For more information contact a sales representative in your area today!
Terry Parrish
N.FL, AL, MS, LA
229-921-7803
Daniel Poppell
Southwest FL
813-399-3974
Larry Pippin
Plant City, FL
813-708-2251
Josh Garrett
Georgia
352-231-1681
Robbie Bishop
Southeast FL
786-255-3764
Tyler Raulerson
Southwest GA
229-891-8226
Mark Upton
NY, N.England, OH, MI
315-604-1098
Brianna Fedorkowicz
DE, MD, PA
302-222-2677
T: 800-231-9359 | F: 910-267-2692 | PO BOX 206 Faison, NC 28341 |
Wayne Eidson
TN, KY, MO, IN
615-854-9859
ftilp
20 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
Jonathan Wilks
NC, SC, VA
910-290-1735
http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com
April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2019
