NOVEL LIGHT SOURCES AND METHODS FOR ILLUMINATING PLANTS TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE PLANT GROWTH

摘要

A method of growing a plant or its propagule is described. The method includes: (i) powering a light source with input power to generate an incident light; (ii) illuminating, for a period of time, a growth area of the plant/propagule with the incident light having a spectral profile defined by a first (i.e., between about 400 nm and about 470 nm), a second (i.e., between about 526 nm and about 570 nm) and a third (i.e., between about 626 nm and about 700 nm) set of wavelengths; (iii) achieving, using the incident light, a final harvest index that is greater than that achieved if the growth area of the plant/propagule had been illuminated by another incident light with same amount of input power for substantially same period of time, and another incident light includes the first and the third set of wavelengths, but not the second set of wavelengths.

主权项

1. A method of growing a plant or a plant propagule, comprising:
obtaining said plant or said plant propagule and an electrically-powered light source; powering said electrically-powered light source with an amount of input power to generate an incident light; illuminating, for a period of time, a growth area of said plant or said plant propagule with said incident light having a spectral profile defined by a first set of wavelengths, a second set of wavelengths and a third set of wavelengths; achieving, using said incident light, a final harvest index from said plant or said plant propagule that is greater than that achieved if said growth area of said plant or said plant propagule had been illuminated by another incident light with said amount of input power for substantially said period of time, and said another incident light includes said first set of wavelengths and said third set of wavelengths, but does not include said second set of wavelengths; and wherein said final harvest index refers to a ratio of dry weight of harvestable plant components to total dry weight of said plant, and wherein said first set of wavelengths includes wavelengths that are between about 400 nm and about 470 nm, said second set of wavelengths includes wavelengths that are between about 526 nm and about 570 nm, and said third set of wavelengths includes wavelengths that are between about 626 nm and about 700 nm.