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Multi-Channel LED lighting for Greenhouses
In modern horticulture, lighting is a crucial factor for optimizing plant growth and crop quality. The introduction of multi-channel LED fixtures, marks a significant advancement in the sector. Heliospectra has been at the forefront of this innovation with multi-channel LED lighting since 2010 and wireless control since 2015. From being the leader in the horticulture lighting research arena worldwide, Heliospectra now also offers this expertise with Multi-Channel LED lighting for Greenhouses anc professional growers.
What are multi-channel LED fixtures?
Multi-channel LED fixtures are lighting systems that contain multiple, independently controllable light channels. Each channel can emit specific wavelengths of light, such as red, blue, white, and far-red, but can also contain a combination of colors, such as R5/B5/R90. These different configurations allow growers to fine-tune the light spectrum to the needs of different crops and growth stages. In addition, multi-channel fixtures offer the flexibility to easily adapt to different crops as needed. For example, young plant growers can seamlessly switch between the specific light requirements and growth strategies of tomato plants and cucumber plants.
Advantages of multi-channel LED lighting in horticulture
1. Precision in light spectrum: With the ability to control each light channel individually, growers can create the ideal light recipe for each stage of growth, from germination to flowering and fruiting. This leads to healthier plants and higher yields.
2. Energy efficiency: Due to the ability to adjust the light spectrum and intensity throughout the day to the specific needs of the crop, energy waste and consumption are minimized. Heliospectra’s systems, such as the MITRA X series, offer an efficiency of up to 4.0 μmol/J, resulting in lower energy costs while maximizing the light output per wattage.
3. Integration with smart technology software: Heliospectra’s solutions can be integrated with the HelioCORE™️ control system, allowing for automated lighting schedules, unlimited dynamic zoning, and energy savings. This allows growers to accurately manage and optimize their growing conditions. Of course, the fixtures can also be controlled via well-known climate computers such as Priva, Hoogendoorn, Ridder and Argus controls.
Heliospectra has more than 15 years of experience with multi-channel solutions and control. The ELIXIA fixtures were the first multi-channel LED lights on the market and now still offer unique 4-, 5- and 9-channel solutions. Heliospectra is thus at the forefront of the development of advanced lighting solutions and a proud market leader in the
Agtech and University segment. The MITRA X series, including the C3 and C4 multi-channel solutions, provides growers with the tools to implement lighting strategies tailored to specific crops and growing conditions. These systems integrate seamlessly with the HelioCORE™️ platform, providing easy-to-use and intuitive lighting management solutions.
The implementation of multi-channel LED lights in horticulture offers unprecedented opportunities for precision cultivation.
Tomato Cultivation with Multi-Channel LED Lighting
When it comes to tomatoes, optimizing light levels is crucial for enhancing productivity and maintaining plant health. LED lighting provides an opportunity to achieve just that, with specific benefits for growers transitioning from traditional HPS to high-intensity LED solutions.
Key Benefits of LED Lighting for Tomato Cultivation:
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Supplemental Lighting in Winter: LEDs provide the necessary light without excessive heat, making them ideal for the colder months when supplemental lighting is essential.
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Optimized Growth Control: The flexibility of multi-channel LEDs, including the ability to adjust red, blue, white, and far-red light, helps growers fine-tune light conditions to optimize vegetative and generative growth, leading to improved balance in plant development, improve working conditions, or further reduce energy consumption, by only using red light when there is enough blue and green from the daylight.
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Energy Efficiency and Precision: With LED fixtures, growers can fine-tune their lighting systems to provide the exact light needed for each growth stage. This increases energy efficiency while ensuring plants receive the optimal spectrum for photosynthesis. In energy trading, the ability to quickly dim up, or down the lights can make large profits and reduce the energy costs significantly.
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Zone-Specific Lighting: Multi-channel LED fixtures enable growers to set different lighting conditions for specific varieties within the same space, ensuring that each variety receives the light it requires to thrive. It also helps in tracking the energy usage per order. Additionally, Heliospectra has the ability to keep the data linked to a plant batch, even if the plants are moved to another area, with other lamps.
By integrating multi-channel LED lighting solutions, tomato growers can achieve better results, from healthier plants to more consistent yields, all while improving energy efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Strawberry Cultivation with Multi-Channel LED Lighting
Strawberry growers face a delicate balance between generative and vegetative growth to achieve high yields while maintaining plant health. With multi-channel LED fixtures, growers can fine-tune their lighting strategy to optimize fruit production, improve plant balance, and reduce energy costs.
The exact spectral requirements for strawberries are still under research, but it is already clear that being able to control far-red and red separately from other colors offers significant advantages.
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Red Light Control: Red light can make June-bearing strawberries perceive short-day conditions while still driving photosynthesis for 18 hours. It also appears that ever bearers (long-day plants) can maintain better plant balance and move into flower induction phase faster when they receive red-only light for several hours towards the end of the day.
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Far-Red Light at End of Day (EOD FR): Applying far-red at the end of the day can help regulate stem elongation across all varieties, reducing labor costs by controlling plant structure. For example, 10 minutes end-of-day treatment (after the red only) for June bearers and an hour for ever bearers.
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Red-Far Red and Red-Blue Ratios: Controlling the ratio between red and far-red, or red and blue, allows growers to influence how vegetative the plant remains, helping to balance plant growth with fruit production.
By integrating Heliospectra’s multi-channel LED solutions, growers gain full control over light quality and duration, enabling them to optimize growth, improve quality, and enhance energy efficiency. This precise control over lighting conditions leads to higher yields, improved crop quality, and more efficient energy use—an investment in the future of a sustainable and profitable business.
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