Results from a multi-year, global study have revealed important results for cultivation, showing that broad-spectrum white lights are best for increasing cannabis yield over red wavelengths.
The study, carried out by Fluence by OSRAM in conjunction with Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation (TOCC), looked at the effects of broad-spectrum white light on plant yield, morphology, development and quality in cannabis and other crops.
The results on cannabis revealed that broad-spectrum lighting strategies that include green light and other wavelengths, which are largely absent in narrow-band spectra, improve cannabis yield. The study notes spectrum sensitivity is cultivar-dependent.
Improving cannabis yield
Results from the multi-year study have demonstrated that broad-spectrum lighting improved the yield of cultures, morphology and overall performance of selected cultivars compared to narrowband spectra with high red and far-red colour wavelength ratios.
Senior Scientist at Fluence, Dr David Hawley, commented: “The results of our global studies show how effective broad-spectrum white light is in improving crop yields for many growers around the world.
“Broad-spectrum strategies are about the balance and flexibility of the spectrum itself as well as the holistic approach to cultivation. While there are certain scenarios in which narrowband spectra, or pink light, may make sense from an energy efficiency or crop production standpoint, we have found that many cultivars are simply more performing across a broad spectrum across the KPIs that matter most to growers: yield, morphology and overall quality.
“Our latest research provides us with new information to assess each grower’s goals, compare those goals to a facility’s unique financial, environmental and energy parameters, and then ultimately develop a solution tailored to each grower.
“The results of the TOCC and WUR intensity and spectrum studies are important to cannabis growers for two reasons. First, there is rarely a scenario in which they would have to grow cannabis under low-density photosynthetic photon flux (PPFD). Our research continues to highlight how more beneficial it is to grow cannabis with higher PPFDs.
“Second, watch your red light report. There are a few cultivars and a few very specific production situations that could benefit from narrowband or high/far-red and blue wavelengths. But it can also have detrimental effects on terpene ratios, yield, morphology and cannabinoid content, and increase the risk of significant canopy photobleaching. This is why we generally recommend growing broad spectrum cannabis under a high PPFD.”
The study was also carried out on merlice tomatoes and peppers.
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