ComparingLEDLightingToHigh-PressureSodiumLamps.pdfVIP

Production Lighting Comparing LED Lighting To High-Pressure Sodium Lamps Research at Purdue University is determining how LEDs, providing light of different wavelengths, compare to traditional high-pressure sodium lamps. Part one of a two-part series. by CHRISTOPHER J. CURREY and that can emit light from ~250 nm to ≥1000 energy to light and an estimated life of ROBERTO G. LOPEZ nm. There are several features of LEDs 50,000 luminous hours or more. CUTTINGS of vegetatively propagated bedding plants are frequently rooted in late winter and early spring to meet the spring and early that make them attractive alternatives to high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. First, LEDs can produce narrow-spectrum light at wavebands useful for plant growth and development, including blue (450 nm) and The interest in the use of LEDs is increasing in commercial plant production, and this is seen in the ever-increasing number of LED arrays seen in the marketplace. However, the impact and sci- summer market demand for flowering bed- red (660 nm). Additionally, LEDs currently ence underlying the use of LEDs as a ding plants. However, this is also the time have a luminous efficiency of 38 percent supplemental light source in ornamental when dirty and old glazing material, inte- (red) to 50 percent (blue) in converting plant propagation of cuttings (liners) and rior superstructures, and hanging baskets suspended above benches reduce already seasonally low ambient outdoor daily light integrals (DLIs) inside the greenhouse. Figure 1. Spectral quality of 70 μmol?m–2?s–1 delivered from high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with (percent) 100:0, 85:15, or 70:30 red:blue light. seedlings (plugs) are not clear. Our goal in this study was to determine how LEDs providing light comprised of different wavelengths would stack up Increasing the DLI during propa- against HPS lamps when sup- gation has been shown to improve plemental light was used growth and quality of rooted cut- i