LED light irradiation increases the vitamin content of plants several times
July 21, 2023
Recently, a Japanese plant factory began to use LED light sources of red, blue and green to illuminate the grown vegetables. According to the test, the vegetables grown in this way are more nutritious than the vegetables grown under the sun. The scientist's explanation is that because LED lighting can regulate the wavelength and brightness of light, it is more suitable for the growth of vegetables.
The color of light necessary for plant growth is mainly red and blue, and the ratio is generally 10:1 to 5:1. Sunlight contains a lot of ultraviolet and infrared rays, and if it is exposed to sunlight for a long time, it will also affect the normal growth of plants. The main advantage of LED lighting is that it can regulate the wavelength and brightness of light, and it can also achieve "pulse irradiation".
The so-called "pulse irradiation" refers to the high-speed switching of the LED power supply to release light, similar to the flash. The principle of "pulse irradiation" is between the light and the dark, allowing plants to get more rest time. Because plants are the same as people, they also need to rest, and recharge their batteries to make their growth better.
According to Japanese survey data, the plant's growth rate is the highest when it is maintained at 1:2, which is 33% higher than the usual. Using only “pulse irradiation”, the volume of vegetables grown can be increased by 20%-25%. By adjusting the color and intensity of the LED light source, the vitamin content of the grown vegetables is up to 1300% more than the average vegetable. For example, the leaf lettuce grown under the LED light source has a 14-fold, 3-fold, and 6-fold increase in vitamin A, C, and E content, respectively.
“Pulse irradiation” also saved electricity, and preliminary estimates have reduced the production cost of vegetables by nearly 30%.