From CEA Viability in Metro Areas team member Jacob Holley, Ph.D. Candidate, Cornell University:
New lighting technology in the form of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) entered the horticultural market recently and spurred interest worldwide in the potential to increase yield, induce photomorphogenic changes, and reduce energy use in commercial vegetable production. LEDs provide growers with unprecedented control of light intensity and spectrum produced by supplemental lighting. Coupled with the emergence of greenhouse sensor networking, the great potential these technologies have to reduce carbon footprint, while producing healthier, locally grown vegetables helps to combat climate change and ensure global food security.
Cornell’s Greenhouse Lighting Laboratory contains the latest state of the art LEDs coupled with proprietary control software to quantify and ultimately aid commercial growers regarding the integration of these new technologies. This greenhouse environment consists of ten different experimental areas testing various intensities and spectrums of LEDs on the growth of commercially relevant greenhouse crops, including lettuce and hemp.
The Light And Shade System Implementation (LASSI) software controls the total amount of light (Daily Light Integral or DLI) to ensure consistent lighting of the crop as would be expected in a commercial system. In addition, hydroponic growing systems are utilized to provide the root zones of the crop with consistent water and fertilizer across experimental areas and mimic commercial environments. The design of this laboratory offers the most comprehensive and commercially relevant testing space for new lighting technologies.
The Cornell Greenhouse Lighting Laboratory is visually monitored with a 24-hour camera system to aid in research by tracking sunlight in the greenhouse and monitoring proper functionality of the lighting systems at all times of the day. Feel free to watch us conduct the research that will help bring the newest technology to growers and in creating heathier produce for people and the planet.