Center for Smart Agriculture
Protected cultivation of vegetable crops
Module 3: Control of Light
Session 8: Regulation of light in protected crop
cultivation
Regulation of light in protected crop
cultivation
Before selecting a light source for greenhouse
lighting, numerous factors should be
considered. Among these are the
1. Total energy emitted by the lamp,
2. Efficiency (% of electrical energy converted
to light energy),
3. wavelengths emitted
4. Cost, life expectancy and the fixtures
1. Incandescent lamps (tungsten-filament):-
• Incandescent lights do not require ballasts
like other more expensive plant lights, but
they generally do not provide sufficient light
for most greenhouse applications.
• A large portion of the radiation given off by
these lamps is in the form of infrared (heat).
• Because of this, their efficiency rating is only
7%. Lamps range from 40 to 500 watts.
• Life span ranges from 750 to 1000
hours.
• In order to produce enough light for
effective photosynthetic lighting, a
large number of these lights would be
required.
[Link] lamps
• Fluorescent lamps are more efficient than
incandescent lamps (20% efficiency) and
provide their light over a broader spectrum
(more in the blue region) than incandescent
lamps.
• Light output also declines as fluorescent
lamps age, falling to about 60% after 10,000
hours.
• Fluorescent lamps are available in three
load types: normal output 400 mA (normal
output), 800 mA (high output), and 1500
mA (very high output).
• One disadvantage of fluorescent lamps is
their relative bulk in relation to output.
• These lamps are most commonly used in
growth chambers and seed germination
rooms. They are rarely used to produce
crops in greenhouses.
3. High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps
• Now a days, the HID lamps are preferred
types for the final stages of the crop growth
in the greenhouse.
• These are the most commonly used lamps for
supplemental lighting in greenhouses.
• The light intensities and efficiencies obtained
by high intensity discharge are higher than
either incandescent of fluorescent lamps.
• Numerous types off bulbs are available for
use in HID lamps such as high pressure
mercury, metal halide, low pressure sodium
and high pressure mercury.
A. High-pressure mercury bulbs: Have
emission spectrum similar to fluorescent
lamps but with a greater concentration of
their radiation being emitted in the red
region.
• Light energy is produced by these lamps
using a two-step process.
• First the filament gives off UV light. This
UV radiation excites a phosphor powder
in the tube. This powder fluoresces and
gives off visible light.
• Because of this two-step process, these
lamps have an efficiency of only 13%
and have a lifespan of about 10,000
hours.
B. High-pressure metal halide bulbs:
• cost more than high-pressure mercury bulbs
and have a shorter life span than high-
pressure mercury bulbs.
• However, they have a broader emission
spectrum than mercury bulbs.
• Their efficiency is 20%. These bulbs have a
lifespan of 8,000 to 15,000 hours.
C. Low-pressure sodium bulbs: Have an
efficiency of 27% and have a lifespan of
18,000 hours.
However, these bulbs have very narrow
emission spectrums.
This narrow emission spectrum can cause
adverse effects on crop development.
D High-pressure sodium lamps:
• The most common type of bulb used for
supplemental lighting in greenhouses.
• They have a broader emission spectrum than
low-pressure sodium bulbs and are cheaper
than mercury bulbs.
• These bulbs have efficiency of 25% and a
lifespan of 24,000 hours.
4. LED
• The newest type of grow lights use LED
technology.
• LED grow lights have increased in
popularity with advancements in LED
technology.
• Many growers favor LED lights because
they require significantly less energy to run
while producing equivalent yields to HPS
lights.
• One major advantage to the LED lights is
the small size.
• LED lights are only a few inches in
diameter and are easy to mount.
• According to LED manufacturers, LED
grow lights maximize blue and red light to
provide and excellent balance for plants.
• They do not have much green-yellow light
and generally there is no light produced
except that which promotes photosynthesis.
Thank You ….