“ Horticulture LED lighting is still in its infancy and there is an abundance of misinformation , unlike other industries
horticultural LED lighting
The metrics used to quantify some horticulture lighting can be confusing at times . If you have been researching horticulture lighting systems , you have likely been bombarded with a variety of metrics that manufacturers use to market their products . Some terms and acronyms you are likely to see include watts , lumens , LUX , foot candles , PAR , PPF , and PPFD . While all of these terms are related to lighting , only a select few really tell you the important metrics of a horticulture lighting system . If you are looking to optimize your growing conditions or researching what lighting system is best for your operation , a firm grasp on the nuances of lighting metrics is the foundation to cultivation and financial success . Horticulture LED lighting technology is still in its infancy and there is an abundance of misinformation , unlike other industries that have established clearly defined metrics to assess the performance of a solution . Take , for example , the automotive industry . We all have a general understanding of horsepower , miles-per-gallon , and even torque . These are all critical metrics used to determine whether a vehicle can perform a specific application ( i . e . towing a trailer or racing in a quartermile ) and to evaluate options when looking to purchase a vehicle . Metrics in LED horticulture lighting should provide the same type of insight ; they should accurately and consistently answer the questions , “ Can this light perform the function needed , and , more specifically , is it optimized ?”
“ Horticulture LED lighting is still in its infancy and there is an abundance of misinformation , unlike other industries
that have established clearly defined metrics to assess the performance of a solution .”
While there is currently a lack of industry standards for LED lighting in horticulture — and some manufacturers take advantage of this by misreporting or inflating performance claims — many lighting companies in the industry are encouraging the implementation of formal industry standards to ensure performance claims can be verified . Lighting technologies like high pressure sodium and metal halide have had these standards in place for years . Still , the start to standardizing the answers to these LED performance questions is with a firm grasp on the metrics by which horticulture lighting is measured . While other measurements like the daily light integral are important , for the purpose of this article , we will focus on photosynthetically active radiation and photosynthetic photon flux . It should also be mentioned that growers should not use a foot candle / LUX sensor when taking light measurements , since these follow the sensitivity curve of the human eye and give wrong information when comparing light sources with different spectrums . Instead , a quantum sensor , which is designed to follow the sensitivity curve of plants and measures the number of photons between 400 and 700 nanometers ( nm ), should be used .
Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Let ’ s start with photosynthetically active radiation ( PAR ). It ’ s s a much used , and often misused , term related to horticulture lighting . PAR is the spectrum of light ( specifically 400 – 700 nm , which are the primary wavelengths of light used to drive photosynthesis ). Knowing the spectrum of a lighting system is extremely important and can easily be achieved by requesting a spectral power distribution chart from a lighting manufacturer ( Fig . 1 & 2 ).
Fig . 1 : Spectral distribution chart of an LED system .
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