Purdue University published findings LED lighting cultivating tomatoes

Purdue University (Purdue University) landscape gardening and Research Department staff recently published studies utilizing LED lighting greenhouse tomato cultivation for LED lighting provides some new information on the feasibility of horticultural applications.

 

In order to meet the growing consumer demand for locally grown and when the non-production season for greenhouse tomato growers usually have to rely on auxiliary lighting facilities. A growing number of tomato growers optimistic LED, because LED is more energy-saving potential, but also to replace the greenhouse environment, high pressure sodium (HPS).

 

Purdue University Department of Horticulture, Landscape cum researchers Michael Dzakovich, Celina Gomez and Cary Mitchell assisted experimental study published in the latest issue of lighting "HortScience" horticultural journals. "LED lighting is now generally affect a variety of high-value crops presence of phytochemicals keen interest and flavor," the researchers said, "however, has rarely seen the LED light irradiation for a long time, long into the tomato fruit quality characteristics related research. "

 

The researchers were conducted three separate studies, surveys greenhouse tomato using an auxiliary light quantity and quality of. Growth tomato crops were used natural sunlight (control group), natural sunlight + HPS auxiliary lighting, and natural sunlight + LED beacon auxiliary lighting. Researchers collected chromaticity tomato crops, sugar content (Brix), titratable acidity, conductivity and pH measurements, and analysis Lighting reaction crops. Author of the study, said, "The result contrary to our hypothesis, hardly directly affected fruit quality LED auxiliary lighting effects."

 

The study also determined that the use of sensory way, try to eat the subjective tomatoes for color, acidity, sweetness score, and color tomato, aroma, taste, sweetness, acidity and aftertaste and other indicators are divided into five composite score . The researchers said, "Through the collection of physical and chemical parameters and sensory information, we can determine whether tomato fruits statistically significant physicochemical parameters reflecting consumers can actually feel the quality of this fruit." Try to eat those composed by the sensory evaluation team said, for them, the physical and chemical differences in the three groups of fruit is not obvious; in fact, try to eat what is almost impossible to distinguish between the control group applied auxiliary lighting tomato tomato using different settings or auxiliary lighting different.

 

"According to this study shows that greenhouse tomato fruit quality and the impact will not be using two different auxiliary lighting and auxiliary lighting itself," the researchers said, "the results of physical and chemical measurements also showed that growth in different lighting conditions fruit only slight differences, and try to eat these differences were also confirmed almost indistinguishable, more supportive of these findings. "

 

The researchers said the results are expected to allow the cultivation of tomato growers are interested in reducing the energy consumption of greenhouses.

 

The researchers stressed, "LED auxiliary lighting in this study used either in intensity or wavelength side, LIABLE temperature cultivation adversely affect fruit quality, but also proved that LED lighting has potential as a high-pressure sodium lamps and other auxiliary alternative lighting. "

 

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