New insights into light-use efficiency of tomatoes under LED
From a recent greenhouse trial by Plant Lighting, conducted in collaboration with Delphy Improvement Centre and Wageningen University & Research, it appears that tomatoes grown under hybrid and full-LED lighting (our WEGA Max) clearly produce more than under SON-T. Yield up to week 9 amounted to approximately 35 kg/m² under hybrid and LED, compared with 26 kg/m² under SON-T. However, when production is related to the amount of light used, light-use efficiency (LBE) under LED and hybrid lighting is nearly 10% lower.
The results show that more light does not automatically lead to a proportional increase in yield per mole of light. This highlights the importance of not only steering on light levels, but above all on the balance between light, crop activity, and sink–source relationships. Looking ahead, there is clear potential in strengthening the flow of assimilates to the fruits to further optimize light-use efficiency (LBE).
"It is precisely at this intersection of lighting strategy and crop management that, together, we make the difference toward an even more efficient cultivation under full LED!” - Gert-Jan Dekker, Agronomist
