Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
Certhon's First Results of Indoor Strawberries Trial
Martin Veenstra, Indoor Farming specialist at Certhon: “This way of growing strawberries is unique because all grow parameters can be precisely controlled during the entire growth cycle
Martin Veenstra, Indoor Farming specialist at Certhon: “This way of growing strawberries is unique because all grow parameters can be precisely controlled during the entire growth cycle. From start to finish. This ensures optimum quality, yield, and fruit sizes, independent of the growing season. All grown without any pesticides and with a choice of both traditional as well as organic nutrients.”
The Certhon Innovation Centre consists of multiple indoor farms equipped with state of the art systems for LED lighting, climate control, CO2 dosing and irrigation systems which are all managed by Certhon's farm control system. In these farms, many crop trials are conducted for the indoor growing of a wide variety of plants, ranging from leafy greens to many vegetables and soft fruit. We would like to share exciting results of our trials with growing strawberries in our indoor farming system.
Results
Yields vary off course per strawberry variety, but at least a minimum of 26 up to 30 kg per m² per year with a consistent BRIX of 8 or higher is now available to every grower. Also, fruit sizes are much more consistent compared to open field or even greenhouse growing.
"At Certhon, we focus on the consistent and uniform top quality of the produce with an improved shelf life. In addition to optimizing the yield, we also put a strong emphasis on minimizing the power consumption for lighting and climate control. Also reducing water consumption is a strong focus point."
Martin: “We are continuously improving our trials and see even more potential in the very near future. Besides strawberries, we are also testing with tomatoes, lettuce, and raspberries.”
For more information:
Certhon
ABC Westland 555
P.O. Box 90
2685 ZH Poeldijk
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 174 22 50 80
Fax: +31 174 22 50 81
www.certhon.com
5 Jan 2021
SCOTLAND: Vertical Farming Research Gets Government Funding
EFFORTS to develop vertical farming technology are to get a share in £90million of UK Government funding allocated as part of its drive to get agriculture to 'net zero' carbon emissions by 2040
January 7, 2012
Political Affairs Editor
Light Science Technologies works with growers involved in vertical farming to provide solutions for controlled environment agriculture
EFFORTS to develop vertical farming technology are to get a share in £90million of UK Government funding allocated as part of its drive to get agriculture to 'net zero' carbon emissions by 2040.
Derby-based company Light Science Technologies is one of just 23 feasibility projects which will benefit from this cash pot from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, as part of its 'Transforming Food Production' challenge.
In partnership with Nottingham Trent University, LST will be leading the project to develop a growing sensor and transmission node for vertical farms over the next six months.
It is hoped that this ‘all in one’ indoor farm sensor will enable farms to monitor and control their environment by measuring key areas including light, water, air, temperature, humidity, oxygen, and soil to ensure optimal plant productivity and yield.
CEO of LST, Simon Deacon, said: “This is an especially important boost to our business. To be selected by Innovate UK is confirmation of the urgent need for more sustainable, productive, and cost-effective solutions in farming. Investment in UK technology and innovation in this sector is crucial in achieving a better approach to agricultural production and reducing emissions.”
Innovate UK executive chair Dr. Ian Campbell added: “There are many innovative projects in our latest feasibility competition showcasing ideas for improving productivity and cutting emissions that range across the whole agricultural sector, from arable to livestock, to sensor technology, and to new biopesticides. Our funding and support for these projects is ongoing.”
Signify Adds Artechno To Its Philips Horticulture LED Partner Network To Lower Bar For Future Vertical Farmers
“Partnering with Signify is a logical choice for us,” said Art van Rijn, Owner of Artechno
January 4th, 2021
Signify Chooses Artechno As its New Philips
Horti LED Partner For The Unique Modular
Turnkey Vertical Farming Solutions That it Provides
· Lowers bar for growers and entrepreneurs to start a new vertical farm
· Helps to automate the production process for diverse crops from seed to harvest
Eindhoven, Netherlands – Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, has signed a partnership agreement with Artechno, global provider of scalable Automated Vertical Farming systems, to make it easier for growers and entrepreneurs to start a state-of-the-art vertical farm using Philips GreenPower LED lighting. Artechno, headquartered in De Lier, the Netherlands, is an engineering company that develops and realizes unique automated cultivation systems based on hydroponic substrates for clients across the globe.
“Partnering with Signify is a logical choice for us,” said Art van Rijn, Owner of Artechno. “We’re a winning combination as we offer our customers the highest efficiency and highest reliability, while Signify provides energy-efficient lighting solutions that perform 24/7, 365 days a year. Together this will help our customers to grow tasty, high-quality produce year-round.”
Artechno has channeled 100+ years of combined experience in horticulture into its flagship product, Automated Vertical Farming, or AVF+. It offers a fully automated solution for producing a variety of crops from seed to harvest. Artechno has automated all processes to ensure low labor costs and consistent crop production. AVF+ is a modular system that can be customized to the needs of the crop, available space, or desired production volume. Growers and entrepreneurs can start with a few key components and scale up their automation and operation as they grow.
“We’re proud to expand our partnership network with the knowledge and expertise of Artechno,” said Udo van Slooten, Business Leader Horticulture at Signify. “They share our values of innovation, quality and reliability. This partnership will help us lower the barriers for growers and entrepreneurs who are considering a vertical farm by enabling us to offer Philips GreenPower lighting within fully modular and automated systems for every aspect of their operations.”
Signify continues to expand its horticulture partner network, further demonstrating its commitment to lead the horticulture industry as the innovative LED lighting systems provider for the indoor farming industry.
--- END ---
For further information, please contact:
Global Marcom Manager Horticulture at Signify
Daniela Damoiseaux
Tel: +31 6 31 65 29 69
E-mail: daniela.damoiseaux@signify.com
About Signify
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value, and transform life in homes, buildings, and public spaces. With 2019 sales of EUR 6.2 billion, we have approximately 37,000 employees and are present in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We achieved carbon neutrality in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for four consecutive years, and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
Valoya Appoints A VP Sales North America
Valoya continues its growth trajectory with the addition of VP Sales North America, Mr. Wes Eaton. With extensive experience in horticulture and business development, Mr. Eaton will be tasked with driving Valoya’s growth in the North American market even further
Valoya continues its growth trajectory with the addition of VP Sales North America, Mr. Wes Eaton. With extensive experience in horticulture and business development, Mr. Eaton will be tasked with driving Valoya’s growth in the North American market even further.
Eaton’s horticulture industry experience is extensive, and his track record is impressive. Having worked in sales of two horticultural LED lighting companies he has a deep understanding of the horticulture lighting applications as well as the competitive landscape in North America. His experience prior to this includes working as a controlled environment agriculture consultant and developing meters and sensors for fertigation and control systems. He thus brings a deep understanding of the market and growers’ needs to the company.
In this role, he will be responsible for driving sales in crop science, cannabis cultivation, vertical farming, and greenhouse applications. Additionally, he will further develop Valoya’s North American reseller network within the cannabis market, as well as establish a local team. In meeting Valoya’s ambitious growth goals he will closely collaborate with existing customers, research partners, and distributors, to enable wider access to Valoya’s high-end LED solutions within the N.American market.
“Valoya’s ongoing commitment to deliver research-based, high-end lighting solutions is commendable. I am excited and honored to join the team and empower growers across North America to drive their plant performance to industry-leading results” says Eaton.
"We have been operating in North America since 2011 and it has always been a very important part of our business. Wes will build on this foundation to take us to the next level with his excellent experience and in-depth insight of the market", comments Mr. Lars Aikala, CEO and Co-Founder of Valoya.
Contact Mr. Eaton at – wes.eaton (at) valoya.com
About Valoya
Valoya is a provider of high-end, energy-efficient LED grow lights for use in crop science, vertical farming, and medicinal plant cultivation. Valoya LED grow lights have been developed using Valoya's proprietary LED technology and extensive plant photobiology research. Valoya's customer base includes numerous vertical farms, greenhouses, and research institutions all over the world (including 8 out of 10 world’s largest agricultural companies).
Additional information:
Valoya Ltd, Finland
Tel: +358 10 2350300
Email: sales@valoya.com
Web: www.valoya.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valoyafi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/valoya
CANADA: Sustainable Agriculture With LED Lighting
GoodLeaf opened it’s fully commercialized, a state-of-the-art vertical farm in Guelph in 2018. This after many years of research at its pilot farm that opened in Truro, Nova Scotia in 2015
11-12-2020 | Philips Lighting
CANADA, Ontario, Guelph- GoodLeaf opened it’s fully commercialized, a state-of-the-art vertical farm in Guelph in 2018. This after many years of research at its pilot farm that opened in Truro, Nova Scotia in 2015.
We wanted a partner that could help us scale the business. ''
-Jeff McKinnon, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President | Photo Courtesy of Philips Lighting
The Challenge
For GoodLeaf it’s all about sustainability. The facility incorporated innovations to enable the use of sustainable farming practices to execute on expectional product quality. With lighting being a primary component, GoodLeaf had specific needs they expected from a lighting solution and provider. The envisioned lighting solution needed to provide scalability whilst being energy efficient. GoodLeaf was looking for a true partner.
The LED lighting solution
“We’ve been using the Philips products since Generation one back in 2013; we did a lot of testing against the T5 light bulb. The Production Module Gen 1 performed well, they held up over time compared to competitors, using them ever since”, says Jeff McKinnon, CFO and VP at GoodLeaf. Over time GoodLeaf worked with 12 different providers of LED lights but in Signify found the partner they were looking for to move forward and to scale their business.
For their 45000 SQF multilayer growing facility in Guelph, Goodleaf installed Philips GeenPower LED production modules. The light recipe was designed in collaboration with the Truleaf design team and engineers together with the plant specialists of Signify. The installed lighting system delivers optimal lighting uniformity.
Benefits
As a branded producer, GoodLeaf Farms produces and packs fresh, nutritious, and pesticide-free micro and baby greens year-round for Canadian consumers. They expect to grow and harvest approximately 1 million pounds of fresh produce per year at their automated growing facility in Guelph. Plant specialists of GoodLeaf and Signify meet monthly to discuss optimizing their crop growth recipe. As part of the partnership, GoodLeaf has greatly improved the predictability of its fresh produce. In addition, Signify and GoodLeaf worked together to obtain a sizable utility rebate from the company’s hydro provider in Ontario. McKinnon said, “The partnership with Signify has been very advantageous to GoodLeaf. We will work with them on a go-forward basis and very much look forward to that”.
GreenPower LED Production Module Static Grow Light
A static module for multilayer applications with the ideal light recipe for higher yield, better quality, higher propagation success rates, and year-round production. Suitable for multilayer, indoor cultivation of leafy greens, microgreens, and herbs.
Source: Philips Lighting
Header photo: Screenshot from GoodLeaf Farm video on youtube
GE Current Expands Horticulture Distribution Network To Support Indoor Growers Across Eurasia
Current’s Lucalox and Arize lighting solutions are available now. Customers can contact their local distribution partner for more information and advice on the best Current solution for their individual greenhouse set-up
GE Current, a Daintree company, has signed three new distribution partnership agreements with Agro Top Garden, Helle-Tech Oy, and Vitro HTS to make its full Lucalox HPS and Arize LED portfolio available to more greenhouse growers across Europe and Asia. The deals inked will provide growers focusing on horticulture, floriculture, and the burgeoning medicinal cannabis market, with easier access to leading lighting technologies, whether they rely on traditional HPS or are looking to transition over to low-energy LEDs to meet net-zero carbon goals.
Malcolm Yare, Business Development Manager for Horticulture at Current, commented, “There are all sorts of variables that combine to create the most productive greenhouse environment, from location and surrounding geography, to weather patterns and the type of crop grown. We want to ensure that greenhouse growers have access to the perfect lighting for their unique set-up. By expanding our network of distribution partners, we can ensure that growers receive expert, localised advice and support to ensure that they get the right Current system to maximise their yields and grow their businesses.”
Agro Top Garden is now the exclusive European distributor of Current’s Lucalox HPS lighting to the medicinal plant market, as well as being a master distributor of the company’s Arize LED portfolio. With a depth of broad horticultural experience, Agro Top Garden advises customers on the best growing media and fertilisers for their flowering plants. Now, with Current’s broad portfolio at its disposal, the company will also be able to advise cannabis growers on the most appropriate, low-energy lighting technology to nurture high-quality, abundant harvests every time.
Based in Finland, Helle-Tech Oy provides a range of greenhouse products, up to complete turn-key installations. With more than 30 years’ team experienced in building greenhouses all over Europe and Russia, Helle-Tech Oy partners with its customers throughout every stage of planning and installation, followed by close support and counsel, in order to maximize the potential of each greenhouse. With more growers looking to reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint, Helle-Tech Oy is expecting to guide many more customers through the transition from HPS to LED lighting in 2021, working with Current’s lighting experts to maintain yields and income throughout the process.
Vitro HTS is based at the heart of Eurasia, in Antalya, Turkey, and is focused on supporting growers across Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. With new investments in horticulture and floriculture across the region, Vitro HTS is ideally positioned to support new market entrants and existing growers with Current’s state-of-the-art lighting systems that reduce energy consumption and costs, whilst boosting revenue.
Current’s Lucalox and Arize lighting solutions are available now. Customers can contact their local distribution partner for more information and advice on the best Current solution for their individual greenhouse set-up.
For more information:
www.gecurrent.com
agrotopgarden.de
www.helle-tech.fi
www.vitrohts.com
1 Dec 2020
Challenges With Airflow Strategies In Vertical Applications
As the industry continues to search for ways to maximize efficiencies, the utilization of LED lighting is becoming increasingly common. Aside from energy efficiency gains, one of the many benefits of migrating to LED’s is the ability to also maximize space utilization
As the industry continues to search for ways to maximize efficiencies, the utilization of LED lighting is becoming increasingly common. Aside from energy efficiency gains, one of the many benefits of migrating to LED’s is the ability to also maximize space utilization.
With less radiant heat and more consistent PPFD, cultivators are able to move lighting much closer to the plant canopy (in some cases less than 6”), which makes vertical, or multi-tier, cultivation far more feasible than with HID lighting.
The obvious benefit to tiered applications is the ability to increase canopy square footage without additional building square footage. Although there are some drawbacks to multi-tier growing, there can also be great reward, and so we’re seeing more and more of our clients choose to go this route in their facilities.
From an HVAC perspective
The challenge with multi-tier cultivation is twofold: first, we must ensure homogeneity to the entire canopy at multiple heights (that all plants at all levels are seeing the same conditions), and second, we must ensure that the HVAC system is getting adequate access to the hot, humid canopy air to ensure that it operates at full capacity.
When standalone dehumidifiers are in use (as opposed to integrated dehumidification systems), it’s doubly important. Dehumidifiers are typically ceiling-mounted and getting the humidity from the lower tier all the way to the ceiling is both difficult and absolutely vital to the proper operation of the dehumidification system. These requirements can be challenging even in single tier applications, so when the complication of airflow obstructions associated with multiple tiers of canopy are added into the mix, the need for specialized expertise becomes even more evident.
Unfortunately, it can be exceptionally difficult for cultivators to find and incorporate a well-designed airflow system for their racking design. While something is certainly better than nothing, one-size-fits-all strategies without the proper engineering can be difficult to dial in, often resulting in improper air speed over the canopy, uneven temperatures, higher than necessary cost or higher than necessary energy use in both HVAC and the air distribution system itself.
The variables must be considered
Various lengths of ductwork, various canopy heights, and various distances from the lighting source will all result in variances in airflow requirements. The speed of the airflow, the diffusion of the airflow, and the temperature of the air will all impact VPD and plant transpiration. As even LED lights vary in wattage and sensible heat output, so should the amount of air being displaced over the canopy to ensure that temperature goals are met.
While certain components of racking airflow systems can be utilized in multiple applications, some care must be taken in each application to ensure that the components being applied are appropriate—from duct diameter to static pressure and fan selection to diffusion strategies. And this is only contemplating what is required to deliver cooler, dryer air to the canopy. Delivering the hot, humid air to the air conditioning and dehumidification system must also be considered. Luckily, these are all challenges that can be addressed with the right experience and engineering expertise, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
The racking airflow design should be an integral part of the HVAC design
We are very happy to help any cultivator retrofit their existing racking systems with a well-designed airflow system, regardless of the HVAC system in use. With the proper engineering behind them, these retrofits can solve homogeneity and airflow challenges quite nicely and at a reasonable cost.
By the same token, what we find is that the most cost-effective and energy efficient multi-tier airflow strategies are those incorporated from the get-go as part of the HVAC design. Looking at it objectively, of course these systems should be incorporated at the HVAC design level when possible. Incorporating airflow over the canopy is a natural extension of the HVAC system. However, historically the industry has seen it as a separate challenge, or as a component of the racking systems themselves, and has largely considered only canopy air movement without considering how to ensure the HVAC system impacts the design.
Consistent airflow is achievable if designed right
The fact of the matter is, integrating the airflow systems with the racking systems is the easiest part. The hard part is making sure the airflow systems themselves are correctly designed to achieve their actual purpose: helping provide a cultivation environment that is consistently perfect.
When the multi-tiered airflow strategies within a room are considered as part of the HVAC design, all of the various airflow systems in the room are working in harmony instead of competing and interfering with each other, ensuring that everything operates as it was intended. This approach also minimizes the amount of equipment being utilized to achieve air distribution goals, which minimizes capital costs, overall connected electrical load, and energy use. It can even boost the energy efficiency of the HVAC system itself, by ensuring that air handlers have greater access to the hot, humid air at the canopy.
In any multi-tier application, a well-engineered racking airflow system design is an absolute requirement. However, we must stop thinking of these systems as components of racking, or as a design afterthought, and start thinking of them as an important part of the overall HVAC strategy.
Whether designing the system at the beginning of the room HVAC design or incorporating it after the fact, engineering and expertise that implements the racking airflow system as a vital component of the overall HVAC strategy will always yield the best results.
For more information:
Surna
Tel. +1 303 993 5271
www.surna.com
New OEM -Agreement For Shelf-And-Lighting Panels For Industrial Vertical Farming
The strategic partnership between Senmatic and LED iBond is based on Senmatic’s in-depth knowledge of LED grow lights and software solutions for industrial vertical farming and LED iBond’s unique LED technology platform
Danish-based companies Senmatic and LED iBond International have entered a strategic OEM-partnership for delivery of shelves with built-in grow light to advance the industrial vertical farming industry – a production method globally foreseen to gain currency among producers in the future.
Senmatic and LED iBond International have entered a strategic partnership for OEM delivery of shelves with built-in grow light to be included in Senmatic’s offering of industrial vertical farming solutions. In vertical farming you utilize the cubic meters by planting in layers rather than the square meters, as traditionally done with row upon row of plants and crops.
The new vertical farming shelves are based on LED iBond’s patented lighting fixture, which combines superior cooling characteristics and minimal space requirements with a high carrying capacity.
Photo by: LED iBond
The strategic partnership between Senmatic and LED iBond is based on Senmatic’s in-depth knowledge of LED grow lights and software solutions for industrial vertical farming and LED iBond’s unique LED technology platform.
- We have more than 40 years of experience with indoor plant production. We will combine LED iBond’s super-slim and energy-efficient shelf-and-lighting panels with our controllers and software to create a multifunctional vertical farming solution with best-in-class growth conditions for industrial indoor horticulture. This new partnership with LED iBond will further contribute to our growth in the vertical farming market, so we are very pleased indeed for this opportunity to join forces with LED iBond, says Mads Nychel, CEO at Senmatic.
The joint vertical farming offering is planned to launch at the end of Q4 2020.
WEBINAR: The Importance of Light Quality In CEA Systems
Spectrum has an important impact on plant growth, morphology, and development. Plants have evolved a sophisticated photoreceptor system capable of perceiving small changes on the light spectrum
Date: November 19, 2020
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. EDT
Presented by: Ricardo Hernandez (NCSU)
Click Here to Register
Spectrum has an important impact on plant growth, morphology, and development. Plants have evolved a sophisticated photoreceptor system capable of perceiving small changes on the light spectrum. Plants use spectral changes as information to adapt and increase survival and reproduction. Therefore, by understanding plant-light interactions, we are able to use light as a tool to change plant responses to meet human needs. This presentation will outline the importance of light quality and provide examples of the commercial applicability of spectral manipulation.
Dr. Ricardo Hernandez is an assistant professor at North Carolina State University focused on Controlled Environment Agriculture research and teaching (https://ceh.cals.ncsu.edu/). He has worked in the field of spectral optimization for over 10 years. In addition to his academic appointment, Ricardo is also a co-founder of two start-ups focused on the use of controlled environment technology and strategies to produce young plants.
Special thanks to our Industry partners
Join today
If you have any questions or would like to know more about GLASE, please contact its executive director Erico Mattos at em796@cornell.edu
The 5 Best LED Grow Lights To Use For Indoor Plants And Greenhouse Growing
Grow lights mimic natural sunlight and utilize the correct color spectrum to encourage photosynthesis to help plants grow indoors
The best grow lights allow us to garden indoors and in our greenhouses throughout the year. Grow lights mimic natural sunlight and utilize the correct color spectrum to encourage photosynthesis to help plants grow indoors. LED grow lights are energy-efficient, long-lasting, and have the full light spectrum, and we’ll cover the best LED grow lights in this article for indoor and greenhouse growing. This article will cover the best grow lights to use for indoor and greenhouse growing.
Kind LED Grow Light K5 Series This is one the best LED grow lights for indoor plants because of its grow light spectrum. This provides plants with a wide range of lights to optimize their growth and lets you grow all kinds of crops year-round. You can use these LED lights for hydroponic and indoor growing.
MD Lighting LED Grow Light This LED lighting system is set up like a lamp and allows for LED replacement bulbs for long-lasting use. It uses the right wavelengths to help encourage and promote plant growth. The grow light is easy to adjust and move to ensure all parts of the plant are receiving an equal amount of sunlight. It’s energy-efficient and saves money on electric bills.
Phlizon 1200W LED Grow Light The Philzon 1200W is one of the best LED grow lights for indoor plants and greenhouse growing. This grow light system doesn’t use a reflector in order to reduce heat emissions for plant protection. It’s known for generating less heat, being energy efficient, which is a cost-effective solution for electric bills. There are two light switches: VEG (blue and white LED light) which is used to promote young vegetative growth, and BLOOM (red and white LED) to promote flowering and blooming in the plants. The full spectrum of light can be found in this grow light to ensure your plants get the necessary nutrients.
HAUS Bright LED Grow Light Bulb These bright LED growing light bulbs provide a full spectrum of light that will help you grow your plants indoors all year round. It’s easy to install since it’s a light bulb and you can hang it anywhere! Only 20w of power is used, but it still produces 1200 lumens to keep your plants healthy.
Aceple Small LED Grow Light This LED grow light is perfect for small plants like succulents or potted plants. This Aceple grow light is one of the best LED grow lights for indoor plants and you can set it up at your office or wherever you may have a small assortment of plants. It provides red and blue lighting, which is essential for healthy leaves and blooming.
Want to learn more about the best LED grow lights for indoor plants and greenhouse gardening? Join our microgreens class to learn the basics about everything there is to know about microgreen and indoor growing. If you can’t sign up for our class, subscribe to our weekly blog and Youtube channel for weekly updates!
#bestledgrowlightsforindoorplants #bestgrowlight #indoorgrowlight #growinglight #growlight #bestgrowlights
Unleashing The Potential of Indoor Sole-Source LEDs on Tomato Production
Enlightening collaboration between Heliospectra and the University of Tokyo
Enlightening Collaboration Between Heliospectra And The University of Tokyo
Heliospectra announced a collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Agro-ecosystem Services (ISAS), the University of Tokyo. In an effort to redefine and unleash the potential of indoor tomato production, this will be a joint research project with the University’s Institute for Sustainable Agro-ecosystem Services (ISAS), in collaboration with Associate Professor Wataru Yamori at the Agricultural Biology and Biogeochemistry Group, and Heliospectra Japan.
With the average age of Japanese farmers reaching 67 years old and younger generations migrating to cities, traditional farming is facing a crisis. This is forcing the country to investigate new ways to produce food. Plant factories are scaling to meet consumer food demand, mainly in vegetable cultivation in both solar and artificial light environments, and the industry is growing. Japan already has approximately 200 lettuce factories using artificial light, and that number is expected to double by 2025. However, to-date, plant factories have been unsuccessful in cultivating light-hungry vine crops such as tomatoes in indoor artificial light. Heliospectra and the University of Tokyo want to challenge this.
Working together, they are looking to build a business model for Japan’s plant factories and PFAL (Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting) organizations for indoor tomato cultivation. In the University lab, the Professor and his students will be using Heliospectra’s MITRA linear, the horticulture market’s first truly modular LED light. Designed by growers for growers, MITRA is a solution for high-light crops, with high-intensity light output and electrical efficacy of up to 2.8 µmol/J.
“We are very excited to be a part of this research together with Dr. Yamori and the ISAS at the University of Tokyo. Over the years, Heliospectra has conducted research on light’s effect on tomatoes in indoor facilities with great results,” comments Yasuhiro Suzuki, General Manager of Heliospectra Japan. “We now look forward to further expanding our knowledge and developing more effective indoor cultivation of tomatoes for commercial use. We look forward to collaborating with the university and sharing with the world our knowledge of growing tomatoes indoors.”
For more information:
Heliospectra
info@heliospectra.com
www.heliospectra.com
Publication date: Thu 29 Oct 2020
Increasing Lettuce Leaves' Fresh Weight by Light Treatments
Italian researchers dove into the matter and trialed three spectra to see what the effects would be on the crop and what the potential is for growing vegetables at your house
While red light is widely considered the visible spectral region with higher effects on photosynthesis, the amount of blue required for different species is an ongoing question. Italian researchers dove into the matter and trialed three spectra to see what the effects would be on the crop and what the potential is for growing vegetables at your house.
By Mattia Accorsi PhD (1); Federico Carotenuto PhD (2)
1) Biologist2) Researcher CNR IBIMET Florence
Light-spectrum manipulation
The research deepen the enhancement of the nutraceutical components in indoor primary production through only the light-spectrum manipulation. To achieve the experimental results was built, in collaboration with the Department of Agronomical Sciences (University of Bologna), an integrated and automated indoor prototypal growing system. In the prototype different state-of-the-art LED lighting lamps prepared ad hoc by C-LED (www.c-led.it) are compared in order to pinpoint the best spectral characteristics for food production as well as the most energy-efficient solution.
Material and methods: Sampling Location, hydroponic system, and plant material
Indoor growing system was divided into three sectors separated by a non-reflective opaque membrane. Each sector held two draining trays with 8 pots each containing a 50:50 perlite-vermiculite growing medium. The automated irrigation system dispensed 30” of irrigation each three hours from 6:00 to 22:00 (local time) and again at 2 am. A 200 liters tank, refilled weekly, was used as the water reservoir. To the irrigation water were added a series of nutrients. Room temperature was regulated at 18 ± 2 °C between 8 am and 20 pm, and at 16 ± 2°C between 20 pm and 8 am, by the building HVAC system. Each sector (i.e.: each of the three columns with three shelves each) had a specific light spectrum supplied by different LED lamps. Each shelf (i.e.: each row of the scaffolding) contained one of the three varieties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.): var. Maravilla de Verano, var. Lollo Rosso, and var. Crispa. In this way, each variety was illuminated by the three different spectra, therefore generating nine combinations between variety and lightning.
Agronomical and morphological determination
Determinations on the number of leaves, LAI, and growth rate were conducted weekly for the entire duration of the plants’ growth since the transplanting (Zink and Yamaguchi, 1962). Plants’ biomass in fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) production were analyzed at harvesting time. Values of electroconductivity (EC) and pH of water tank and drainage was checked three times per week with a conductometer model Basic 30 (Crison instrument, Barcelona, Spain). The content of nitrogen in the leaf tissues was measured weekly utilizing a Yara N-Tester (Oslo, Norway), taking thirty measurement per plant. Vegetables’ yield was related to the lamps’ energetic consumption in order to evaluate the energy use efficiency (EUE) and expressed as g kW-1.
Figure: Morphology of three lettuce varieties (Meravilla de Verano, Crispa and Lollo Rosso), treated with three light spectra at 200 PPFD. Picture acquired at harvesting time (30 DAT). Effects on color intensity (green index) and pigment composition will be deepen in next article.
Biochemical determination
At harvesting time, 30 days after transplanting, a portion of leaf tissues of different theses were collected and stored in polyethylene bags at -20°C until processed. Extraction and quantification of total phenolic and flavonoid contents was conducted as described in Piovene et al. (2014). Antioxidant capacity was determined with the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method as described by Floegel et al. (2011), in order to evaluate the additive and synergistic effects of all antioxidants rather than the effects of single compounds (Brighenti et al., 2005; Puchau et al., 2009).
In all lettuce varieties, leaves’ fresh weight was significantly increased by light treatments. Thesis A (110±34g) and C (112±42g) determined a better production in respect to B (90±34g) as shown in figure. Between three lettuce varieties, at 30 days after transplanting (DAT), Meravilla de Verano showed the highest fresh biomass production with 135±28 grams per plant while Crispa and Lollo Rosso varieties had a production of 104±31g and 72±25g respectively. Dry: Fresh biomass ratio (DFr) revealed opposite trend with respect to total fresh food production: treatment B showed higher DFr with values of 1.34±0.15. These values were significantly different in respect to A (1.25±0.12 ) and C (1.10±0.98).
Discussion: Light characteristics and physiological implications
An increasing interest in indoor growing within the urban area is reflected in a multiplication of commercial solutions making use of soilless systems and precision agriculture techniques (Massa et al., 2008; Poulet et al., 2014; Specht et al., 2014). Differently to artificial lighting technologies such as HPS and fluorescent lamps, LED lighting allows a concrete energy saving and to choose the light spectrum for specific purposes (Ilieva et al., 2010). Continuous advancements in LED technology, allow in-depth research on physiology and biochemistry of plants, two-sector of botany strictly correlated with the quality and quantity of the incident light (Horton, 2000; Poulet et al., 2014).
While red light is widely considered the visible spectral region with higher effects on photosynthesis, the amount of blue required for different species is an ongoing question. Red wavelengths (600-700nm) contain the peak absorption of chlorophyll around 660nm (Massa, 2008). Photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) intercept photons respectively around 650nm (PSII) and 700nm (PSI) (Schopfer and Brennicke, 2010). Blue wavelengths (400-500nm) revealed a variety of important morphological (Blaaw and Blaauw-Jansen, 1970; Cosgrove, 1981), and physiological (Schwartz and Zeiger, 1984; Kinoshita et al., 2001; Horrer 2016; Wang et al., 2016) effects.
In this project, all three light spectra integrate a low percentage (8-19%) of green light. These wavelengths were added to continue the work of Piovene (2015) that identified a specific combination of BRr and green for stimulation of biomass production and nutraceutical characteristics. Other works in literature in mentioned green wavelengths for positive effects towards functional compounds content (Samuolienė et al., 2012) and physiological response to photosynthetic light (Kim et al., 2005; Johkan et al., 2012).
How light spectra influenced food production
This study did not identify the correlation between the percentage of green light and biomass production or nutraceutical characteristics (statistical data not shown) contrary to what stated by the work of Kim et al. (2005) who found positive influence in biomass production with the addition of 24% of green light. Anyway, green light, especially if added to the only red and blue LED, completes the visible spectrum and hence helped in the aesthetic presentation of the plants which appeared less purplish-gray and more natural. Therefore, the latter effect of green light within a growing spectrum, would help in better fitting the plant in the indoor living environment for human purposes and ease the identification of disease onset (Massa et al., 2008).
Figure: Study of LED C-LED lamps in collaboration with an italian university. Range of PAR, UV and Far-red are deeply analizyed in product prototyping process.
The food production has shown significant differences between lettuce varieties and light spectra. Taking into consideration only the lettuce varieties, Meravilla de Verano showed the best yield in respect to Crispa and Lollo Rosso. Light spectra, on the other hand, confirmed that the optimal ratio between red and blue has great relevance in influencing crop yield. While a certain quantity of blue light is necessary for a proper physiological balance (Yoro et al., 2001), this study showed that lower BRr has a positive influence on food productivity across lettuce varieties in accordance with previous researches (Wang et al., 2016). In general, it seems that the optimal BRr is somewhat species-specific since, for example, leafy aromatic vegetables showed better biomass production with a higher percentage of blue wavelengths (Piovene et al., 2015; Abiusi et al., 2013). On the other hand, strawberry showed an improvement of vegetative growth when the red percentage was higher than blue, although compensated by a background white light (Samuoliené et al., 2010)
In fact, many researches points out how plants require a complex spectrum that may include green: this parameter increase the difficulty to choose the “correct” light recipe, considering a number of factors such as specific species-varieties- phonological stage requirements (Wang et al., 2016; Kim et al., 2005).
Nutraceutical implications
Different studies described how BRr influences nutraceutical properties in vegetables grown in indoor condition (Bantis et al., 2015; Piovene et al., 2015). Correlation between polyphenols and flavonoids content with antioxidant capacities has been documented (Dudonne´ et al., 2009; Samaniego Sanchez et al., 2007; Puchau et al., 2009). Polyphenols have an important antioxidant capacity determined by their ability to act as radical scavengers (Carter et al., 2006; Fardet, 2010). In nature, polyphenols are generally accumulated in plant tissues as response to external factors (Loaiza-Velarde et al., 1997). In indoor controlled growing system water, nutrition and microclimate are generally optimized: a particular light spectrum may therefore improve nutraceutical properties through photochemical induction and may, therefore, have a dramatic importance for human nutrition.
The three-light theses tested in this project revealed significant effects on the functional compounds such as phenolics and flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant activity. These data confirm previous works conducted with LED light manipulation (Piovene et at., 2015). In this work, antioxidant activity showed), an attitude of blue light to improve the antioxidant properties of lettuce (Figure 8) with a good correlation coefficient (R2=0.776). This is in accordance with previous researches that correlated the amount of flavonoids and antioxidant activity with blue light stimulation (Ebisawa et al., 2008; Kojima et al., 2010; Ouzounis et al., 2016). Blue light revealed also to be effective in increasing chlorogenic acid (Awada et al., 2001), that has higher antioxidant activity than carotenoids and tocopherols (Rice-Evans et al., 1997).
Fresh food possesses significant amounts of antioxidant and, due to its regular consumption, highly contributes in providing dietary antiradical protection (Deng et al., 2013; Harasym and Oledzki, 2014). Generally, fresh fruits have higher level of total polyphenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity than vegetables (Chun et al., 2005) but, due to the higher consumption of vegetable the antioxidant uptake may be much lower. In epidemiologic studies (Chun et al., 2005) the daily nutraceutical uptake may be estimated at 129mg for TPC and 17mg for TFC.
The indoor experimental structure tested in this study guaranteed a certain TPC and TFC production. Considering the average consumption of 0.27 Kg d-1 person-1 (Leclercq et al., 2009; USP-BO 2013) is possible assert that indoor soilless system lighted with all LED spectrum allowed an average uptake of 6% of TPC and 6.2% of TFC.
Figure: Fresh weight of yield (g plant-1) correlated with Blue:Red ratio highlighted with empty circles (○); Antioxidant activity (DPPH) correlated with Blue:Red ratio highlighted with full circles (●).
Read more on the indoor food production sustainability and the conclusion of the research here.
Lead photo: Figure: Experimental vertical farming system realized in C-LED headquarters. Lettuce varieties at 30 DAT (harvesting time). From right to left: spectra thesis A, B and C. From top to bottom lettuce varieties: Lollo Rosso, Meravilla de Verano and Crispa
27 Oct 2020
New OEM-Agreement For Shelf-And-Lighting Panels For Vertical Farming
Senmatic and LED iBond International have entered a strategic partnership for OEM delivery of shelves with built-in grow light to be included in Senmatic’s offering of industrial vertical farming solutions
Senmatic and LED iBond International have entered a strategic partnership for OEM delivery of shelves with built-in grow light to be included in Senmatic’s offering of industrial vertical farming solutions. The new vertical farming shelves are based on LED iBond’s patented lighting fixture, which combines superior cooling characteristics and minimal space requirements with a high carrying capacity.
The strategic partnership between Senmatic and LED iBond is based on Senmatic’s in-depth knowledge of LED grow lights and software solutions for industrial vertical farming and LED iBond’s unique LED technology platform.
"We have more than 40 years of experience with indoor plant production. We will combine LED iBond’s super-slim and energy-efficient shelf-and-lighting panels with our controllers and software to create a multifunctional vertical farming solution with best-in-class growth conditions for industrial indoor horticulture. This new partnership with LED iBond will further contribute to our growth in the vertical farming market, so we are very pleased indeed for this opportunity to join forces with LED iBond," says Mads Nychel, CEO at Senmatic.
Rolf H. Sprunk-Jansen, CEO of LED iBond, adds: "The new partnership with Senmatic marks LED iBond’s commercial entry into the industrial vertical farming market. With their vertical farming technology and their global network of 40 dealers, Senmatic is an ideal partner for us, bringing our LED panel technology into play in an emerging industry with huge growth potential. The agreement with Senmatic makes us even more confident that LED iBond’s financial outlook is well within reach."
The joint vertical farming offering is planned to launch at the end of Q4 2020.
For more information:
Senmatic
Publication date: Tue 20 Oct 2020
Signify’s LED Lighting Helps GoodLeaf Farms To Increase Food Production All Year Round
As a branded producer, GoodLeaf grows and packs fresh, nutritious, and pesticide-free micro and baby greens year-round
October 15, 2020
Eindhoven, The Netherlands – GoodLeaf Community Farms in Canada selected Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, to equip its new state-of-the-art farm with Philips Horticulture LED lighting and increase its food production, enhance flavor and improve nutritional value. As a branded producer, GoodLeaf grows and packs fresh, nutritious, and pesticide-free micro and baby greens year-round. The company operates a 4,000-square-metre indoor vertical farm in Guelph, Ontario, which is now fully operational to supply some of the largest Canadian retail chains. GoodLeaf is backed by McCain Foods as its strategic investor.
The vertical farm is fully automated and equipped with the latest LED lighting technology for growing indoors. The energy-efficient Philips Greenpower LED production modules enable GoodLeaf to shorten production cycles. As it provides a controlled environment it also allows GoodLeaf to produce all year round without any lighting, temperature, and pesticide worries and reducing waste at the same time.
GoodLeaf Farms started working with Philips products in 2013 at the company’s test facility in Truro, Nova Scotia. “Signify has been very advantageous to GoodLeaf. We’ve worked with many vendors and Signify would stand out as one of the most collaborative, if not one of the best partners we’ve had through this project. We will work with them on a go-forward basis and very much look forward to that,” said Jeff McKinnon, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of GoodLeaf Community Farms and TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture.
Signify has built up a substantial track record in more than 400 projects in the horticultural lighting market since 1995, developing ways to apply lighting technology to crop farming. With cutting-edge LED innovations, the company can custom-build a science-based solution for growers providing data and plant expertise to optimize yields.
This expertise is built on close collaborations with Signify’s horticulture partners and through research at its own vertical farming research facilities in Eindhoven, called GrowWise Center. Vertical farming, or city farming, means that plants can be grown indoors in a controlled environment without sunlight. This is ideal for propagating young plants, cultivating full head crops, and growing healthier, pesticide-free crops. It maximizes production by using LEDs to light multiple layers of crops, achieving a higher yield with a smaller footprint.
“The support from Signify and the folks from GrowWise Center is phenomenal. We meet with them monthly. The data they collect covers the data we collect as well, so sharing that knowledge has been excellent, and the service over their Philips’ products has been exceptional,” said McKinnon.
For more information about this project at GoodLeaf, you can watch the video here.
--- END ---
For further information, please contact:
Global Marcom Manager Horticulture at Signify
Daniela Damoiseaux
Tel: +31 6 31 65 29 69
E-mail: daniela.damoiseaux@signify.com
Signify Global Media relations - Professional Lighting
Wendy Schellens
Tel: +31 6 51 863 401
Email: wendy.schellens@signify.com
About Signify
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value, and transform life in homes, buildings, and public spaces. With 2019 sales of EUR 6.2 billion, we have approximately 36,000 employees and are present in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We have been named Industry Leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for three years in a row. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
GE Current Donates Horticulture Lighting Fixtures To The Ohio State University
“We are excited to be deepening our relationship with OSU,” said Melissa Wesorick, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Current. “This is a great opportunity to strengthen our ties with this historic institution and the Ohio community, as well as inspire and empower the next generation of growers.”
GE Current, a Daintree company has gifted 272 horticultural lighting fixtures to The Ohio State University to benefit the university’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
The Arize Element L1000 LED fixtures will illuminate a state-of-the-art greenhouse being built within the new Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex. The greenhouse was made possible with funding from Nationwide Insurance, as well as support from other Ohio-based companies.
“We are excited to be deepening our relationship with OSU,” said Melissa Wesorick, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Current. “This is a great opportunity to strengthen our ties with this historic institution and the Ohio community, as well as inspire and empower the next generation of growers.”
With construction slated to begin in 2021, the production greenhouse will provide hands-on training opportunities for students to learn how to grow various crops in a greenhouse setting. The multiple tailored light spectrums offered by the Arize Element L1000 opens the door for unique research and scientific exploration into crop production and plant growth, as well as expand upon the understanding of how LEDs can further that growth. The facility will also serve as the location for future grower conferences and workshops.
“Lighting is a key technology of controlled environment agriculture,” said Chieri Kubota, professor in Ohio State’s Department of Horticulture and Crop Science and lead researcher at the new greenhouse facility. “We are excited about potential research outcomes that will advance the science and technology of growing in these environments. We greatly appreciate Current’s generous and important gift to help make this happen.”
Kubota’s work encompasses plant physiology and horticulture engineering to enhance the understanding and efficiency of controlled environment agriculture production systems such as greenhouses, warehouses (vertical farms) and growth chambers.
For more information:
www.gecurrent.com
cfaes.osu.edu
Publication date: Thu 8 Oct 2020
Matt Roney New Lumileds CEO
Roney most recently served as President of Lumileds’ Automotive Business Unit and succeeds Dr. Jonathan Rich who will continue with the company as Executive Chairman of the Board
Lumileds announced the appointment of Matt Roney as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2020. Roney most recently served as President of Lumileds’ Automotive Business Unit and succeeds Dr. Jonathan Rich who will continue with the company as Executive Chairman of the Board.
“Speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors, we are grateful for Jon’s contributions as CEO and believe Lumileds is well-positioned for success in this next phase under Matt’s leadership,” said Rob Seminara, Senior Partner at Apollo Global Management. “Matt has nearly 25 years’ experience in the automotive industry and his performance and leadership throughout his career have given us even greater confidence in his ability to drive long-term innovation and growth at Lumileds.”
“Lumileds has a long history of innovation in conventional automotive lighting and is a pioneer of leading-edge LED technology for the consumer electronics, automotive, and general illumination markets,” said Roney. “I am honored by the opportunity to lead this company and team in its next phase and excited by the opportunities ahead to bring new and innovative lighting solutions to market. I look forward to building on the foundation Dr. Rich has put in place to further advance our technologies and increase the value we deliver to customers across a broad set of industries.”
Prior to joining Lumileds, Roney served as Chief Operating Officer for Stanley Infrastructure, a division of Stanley Black & Decker. Previously, Roney was the President of Paladin Attachments, which was acquired by Stanley Infrastructure. He also spent eight years at TRW Automotive, now known as ZF TRW, in roles of rising responsibility, including Vice President and General Manager of its $2.5 billion Global Steering Business. Roney has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, an MSE in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
For more information:
Lumileds
www.lumileds.com
Publication date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
Breakthroughs With Photonics: Growing Lettuce With Red And Blue Light
During Photonics Applications Week you can attend digital lectures and workshops on the applications of photonics, like those in agriculture and horticulture
During Photonics Applications Week you can attend digital lectures and workshops on the applications of photonics, like those in agriculture and horticulture.
1 October 2020
LUCETTE MASCINI - Innovation Origins
From October 5 to 9, the third edition of the Photonics Applications Week will take place. In this series, Innovation Origins highlights the breakthrough that the application of photonics has meant for three different fields: medical care, the gaming industry, and vertical farming. Today, Part 3: You can influence the shape and color of plants during their cultivation with special lighting in vertical farms.
“The market for vertical farming is growing,” says Sebastian Olschowski, a biologist at the bioengineering company Fluence, part of the Munich-based lamp manufacturer Osram. And this cannot be achieved without photonics. After all, plant growth is dependent on light due to the photosynthesis process it undergoes.
Vertical farming is gaining traction over the past five to ten years. Plant and flower growers set up farms within an enclosed space. The plants are then grown in multiple layers on top of each other.
Light influences shape and color of plants
The climate inside a vertical farm is regulated by nutrient supply, temperature, and lighting. Olschowski is an expert when it comes to lighting. The company he works for supplies the lamps. Olschowski is researching the effects of different light frequencies on plant growth. “We know that plants are able to perceive different frequencies of light. We also know how different types of light affect the plant’s metabolism, color, and shape.”
At the request of plant growers, vertical farms are set up on the basis of this science and the research that Olschowski is conducting in collaboration with universities and research institutes. A grower can, for example, ask the biologist how they can increase basil production so that they can sell more of it. Adjusting the lighting is one way of doing this.
A plant that needs to blossom quickly is subjected to a shorter night. The lighting is switched on earlier in the morning to provide more light. The lights are switched on later for plants that do not need to flower quickly.
Lighting formula is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution
However, these types of lighting formulas are not ‘one size fits all’ solutions, Olschowski notes. “Various light spectra and light intensities have a different effect on one group of plants than on another. A certain amount of extra infrared light when growing basil leads to longer stems. That doesn’t necessarily work like that with another plant.”
Several videos on YouTube present vertical farming as a possible solution for world population growth and to the lack of space for growing food crops such as grains. But Olschowski does not think this is very realistic. “Setting up a vertical farm is expensive and consumes a lot of electricity. In countries where the days are long, growing grain on fields is much more efficient. After all, the sun shines for free.”
Fewer pesticides
One advantage is that vertical farms that have good phytosanitary measures in place require fewer pesticides or even none at all. “At least if you know how to keep pests out. That’s definitely an advantage then.”
But if farming on land is just as good, why set up these expensive vertical farms? That’s because certain crops, such as leafy vegetables that do not last long, can be grown very close to their consumers like those in large cities, says Olschowksi. They can then be delivered to shops and the hospitality sector immediately after harvesting.
Moreover, there are plenty of vegetables that you want to eat in winter but can only grow outdoors in summer, like lettuce for example. “By growing them in a vertical farm, you are assured of quality all year round.”
REGISTER HERE FOR THE WORKSHOP ON
APPLICATIONS FOR PHOTONICS IN VERTICAL
FARMS TO BE HELD DURING THE PHOTONICS
APPLICATION WEEK FROM
2 PM TO 5.30 PM ON OCTOBER 8.
On Innovation Origins you can read the latest news about the world of innovation every day. We want to keep it that way, but we can't do it alone! Are you enjoying our articles and would you like to support independent journalism? Become a member and read our stories guaranteed ad-free.
Lead photo: Dr.-Ing. Grit Bürgow prüft Pflanzen an der vertikalen Farm © TU Berlin
Worldwide Horti Lighting Industry To 2030
The worldwide population is expected to increase to 8.5 billion by 2030, from 7.7 billion in 2019, as per the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA). Additionally, the disposable income of people is also rising, and the two factors are together resulting in a growing demand for food products
21-09-2020 | Cision PR Newswire
DUBLIN- The "Horticulture Lighting Market Research Report: By Type, Technology, Cultivation, Application - Global Industry Analysis and Growth Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The worldwide population is expected to increase to 8.5 billion by 2030, from 7.7 billion in 2019, as per the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA). Additionally, the disposable income of people is also rising, and the two factors are together resulting in a growing demand for food products.
To increase the yield, by making the best use of the available land, several countries are developing indoor farming techniques. Thus, with the population boom, the revenue generated in the global horticulture lighting market is expected to rise from $3.2 billion in 2019 to $20.3 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 18.1% during 2020-2030 (forecast period).
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) to Dominate Market during Forecast Period
Till 2030, LED would continue holding the largest revenue share in the horticulture lighting market, as this technology is quite cost-effective and lets farmers control the light intensity to suit different plants and crops. These factors are resulting in a high adoption of LED lights in greenhouse and indoor agricultural processes.
During the forecast period, the flowers bifurcation is expected to witness significant horticulture lighting market growth, as the demand for flower buds and cut flowers for decorative purposes is surging. From 2017, the exports of such products rose by 2.5%, to garner $6.6 billion in revenue in 2018, as per Trade Map. Currently, Europe's flower exports account for the highest revenue, followed by Latin America (LATAM), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and North America.
In 2019, top lighting dominated the horticulture lighting market, as this type of lighting is vastly used for vertical farming, wherein the lights are placed close to the plants. Similarly, in indoor farming, the lamps and bulbs are suspended for the ceiling, because it creates optimum conditions for the growth of plants.
In the coming years, the fastest growth in the horticulture lighting market is projected to be experienced by the indoor/vertical farming division. The rapid increase in population and urbanization rate is leading to the shrinking of cultivable land, which is forcing the agrarian community to adopt indoor farming methods. Additionally, farmers are being offered financial support, to install vertical farms, by companies such as Toshiba Corporation and Panasonic Corporation.
Europe was the largest horticulture lighting market during the historical period (2014-2019). This is because it is the largest exporter as well as producer of fruits, flowers, and vegetables around the world. During the forecast period, the highest CAGR, of 21.1%, would be experienced in Asia-Pacific, owing to its increasing disposable income and population. Further, as a result, the reducing arable area, numerous countries in the region are looking at modern farming techniques, such as indoor horticulture, greenhouse, and vertical farming.
Market Players Strongly Pursuing Client Wins to Better their Position
In the recent years, several players in the horticulture lighting market have successfully pursued client wins to increase their sales and strengthen their position in the industry. For instance, a Canadian licensed producer of recreational and medicinal marijuana selected LumiGrow Inc. as its LED lighting partner in May 2019, for its six-acre cannabis greenhouse expansion project.
Similarly, in October 2019, Heliospectra AB received a $7.46 million (SEK 72 million) order for its MITRA LED lights from Nectar Farms in Victoria, Australia. The lights will be installed at a tomato-based glasshouse at Nectar Farms.
The competition in the global horticulture lighting market is primarily among Cree Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Lumileds Holding B.V., EPISTAR Corporation, Everlight Electronics Co. Ltd., Osram Licht AG, Broadcom Inc., Signify N.V., Illumitex Inc., Hubbell Incorporated, Hortilux Schrder B.V., LumiGrow Inc., General Electric Company, and Heliospectra AB, as they are the largest companies in the domain.
Click here for more information.
Media Contact:
Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470
For U.S./CAN Toll-Free Call +1-800-526-8630
For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
SOURCE Research and Markets
VIDEO: June Indoor Science Cafe Recording Is Now Available!
Selecting An LED Fixture For Indoor Plant Production
Selecting An LED Fixture For Indoor Plant Production
This presentation 'Selecting an LED Fixture for Indoor Plant Production' was given by Dr. Erik Runkle (Michigan State University) during our 20th cafe forum on June 16th, 2020. Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the OptimIA project team funded by the USDA SCRI grant program.
Kalera and University of Florida LED Lighting Study Sheds New Light on Cost-Effective Modes of Increasing Nutritive Value in Lettuce
Today, technology-driven vertical farming company Kalera announced the publication of a new study, “Effect of End-of-Production High-Energy Radiation on Nutritional Quality of Indoor-Grown Red-Leaf Lettuce,” conducted in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
The New Study Reveals Exciting Findings For Both Consumers and
Vertical Farming Industry Practices
June 04, 2020, | Source: Kalera
ORLANDO, Fla., June 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, technology-driven vertical farming company Kalera announced the publication of a new study, “Effect of End-of-Production High-Energy Radiation on Nutritional Quality of Indoor-Grown Red-Leaf Lettuce,” conducted in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The Kalera-sponsored study found that by using high-energy LED lighting prior to harvest, red-leaf lettuce significantly increases the production of antioxidants and especially of anthocyanins, compounds in plants that may offer health-promoting benefits by protecting cells from free radicals — exciting news for health-conscious consumers. By only using high-energy LED lighting for the last few days before harvest, both yield and quality could be maximized indoors, indicating promising and cost-effective future practices for the vertical farming industry.
The entire study can be read here.
Representative plants at harvest after exposure to EOP treatments
While numerous studies have evaluated the effect of high-energy light as a means to increase nutritional quality of lettuce grown in vertical farms, most research has focused on providing constant light quality or quantity throughout the production cycle, which typically reduces yield or increases production costs. In this new University of Florida study, Dr. Celina Gómez, Assistant Professor of Controlled Environment Horticulture at the University of Florida, who led the study, evaluated the use of end-of-production (EOP) high energy light as a cost-effective, pre-harvest practice that can allow growers to manipulate product quality and increase market value of lettuce without negatively affecting yield.
“Dr. Toma approached me to discuss the possibility of leading the study, which resulted in exciting findings for the vertical farming industry and consumers of healthy produce alike. The objective of the study was to compare growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites such as antioxidants from two popular red-leaf lettuce cultivars grown indoors and exposed to different strategies of EOP high-energy lighting. In general, EOP with blue or high-intensity lighting increased anthocyanin content and antioxidant capacity,” noted Dr Gómez. “Considering potential implications on production costs, EOP with additional blue light is an effective strategy to increase the quality of indoor-grown red-leaf lettuce plants.”
“Given the positive effects of pre-harvest light treatments on nutritional value and marketability of red-leaf lettuce cultivars, vertical farms like Kalera offer tremendous opportunities to deliver fresh, high-quality produce to local markets. This is just one example of what vertical farming can do,” noted Dr. Cristian Toma. “By investing in new developments in science and technology, Kalera is positioning itself as a leader in the vertical farming space and as an expert in the ag-tech revolution. This new research reflects the importance of constantly educating our company, our customers, and our industry on best practices, even as we continue to expand and grow into new markets.”
The new study is being released shortly after Kalera announced its expansion into Atlanta, GA, with its newest facility. Kalera opened its second Orlando, Florida indoor vertical farm in March. While Kalera’s Orlando farm is currently the highest production volume vertical farm in the Southeast, the new Atlanta facility will be more than double the size while generating over 70 jobs for the local community. As was the case in Orlando, Kalera is able to quickly open its newest growing facility in Atlanta with its proprietary technology as a result of a streamlined design and construction process, further illustrating its ability to rapidly scale and expand its vertical farms. The Atlanta facility is the third indoor vertical farm in Kalera’s portfolio and will soon be joined by more in the United States and abroad.
About Kalera
Kalera is a technology driven vertical farming company with unique growing methods combining optimized nutrients and light recipes, precise environmental controls, and cleanroom standards to produce safe, highly nutritious, pesticide-free, non-GMO vegetables with consistent high quality and longer shelf life year-round. The company’s high-yield, automated, data-driven hydroponic production facilities have been designed for rapid rollout with industry-leading payback times to grow vegetables faster, cleaner, at a lower cost, and with less environmental impact.
About UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
Media Contact:
Elka Karl
Phone: 510-508-7328
Email: elka@dadascope.com