Photoperiod regulation: Use LED Grow Light to control the growth rhythm of plants accurately

--Use light to control flowering and yield, and realize intelligent facility agriculture

With the rise of facility agriculture, vertical planting, and urban agriculture, more and more growers realize that controlling the photoperiod has become a key means to improve crop yield and quality. Compared with traditional planting that relies on natural rhythms, we can now use LED Grow Lights to regulate the lighting time and spectrum accurately, thereby intervening in the development rhythm of plants, especially the flowering and fruiting stages.

 

This article will introduce in-depth
1. The biological principle of photoperiod
2. The impact of photoperiod on different crops
3. How to efficiently regulate with LED Grow light
4. Introduce our company's products, LED Grow Light and Detachable LED Grow Light
5. How can we help realize the intelligent management of photoperiod?

 

 

Photoperiod refers to the time a plant receives light within 24 hours. Plants sense changes in light through light-sensitive organs (such as phytochrome) to determine the current season. This ability determines when plants bloom, bolt, enter dormancy, or begin to bear fruit.

 

Physiologically, plants are divided into the following three categories:

1) Short-Day Plants
They will only bloom when the daily light duration is shorter than a particular critical value (usually less than 12 hours). Examples are rice, chrysanthemum, and cotton. If the light is too long, it will inhibit flowering.

 

2) Long-Day Plants
They will only bloom when the daily light duration is longer than a critical value (usually more than 16 hours). Examples are spinach, lettuce, wheat, and barley. If the light is insufficient, they will delay flowering.

 

3) Day-Neutral Plants
They are not sensitive to the length of light, and flowering is determined by other factors (such as temperature and maturity). Examples are tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.

 

Why is it important?
Once the photoperiod is controlled incorrectly, it may cause the plant not to bloom, prematurely bolt, and delay fruiting, directly affecting yield and quality.

 

Plants have a "circadian rhythm system" (Circadian Rhythm), which is controlled by two key light-sensitive proteins:

1) Phytochromes sense red and far-red light and regulate the plant from vegetative growth to flowering.

2) Cryptochromes: sense blue light, affecting plant growth rate and leaf differentiation.

 

Through these mechanisms, plants "sense" the length of sunshine time and produce signal substances such as florigen to start reproductive growth.

➡️ Simply put, the photoperiod affects the hormone level in the plant, and the hormone determines the development direction of the plant.

 

Traditional sunlight relies on uncontrollable factors such as weather and seasons a,nd cannot meet the stability and high-yield requirements of modern commercial planting. LED Grow Light provides a breakthrough solution.

 

LED plant growth lights support the following photoperiod control methods:

1) Accurate control of light time: Set the start and end time of daily light through the smart timer, with an error of less than 1 minute.

2) Simulate circadian rhythm: Set the "light-dark period" alternation to simulate the natural environment and prevent plant physiological disorders.

3) Flexible adjustment of spectrum combination: According to different growth periods, it can provide red light, blue light, far-red light, UV, and other combinations to improve the control efficiency.

4) Local control and partition control: Cooperate with control systems and modular lamps to manage different crops or growth stages.

 

🧠 For example:
The standard photoperiod management methods for cannabis cultivation are:
Vegetable growth period: 18 hours of light / 6 hours of darkness
Flowering growth period: 12 hours of light / 12 hours of darkness

You can easily switch it using the timing control function of the LED light.

 

✅ Foldable LED Grow Light
Advantages: fast deployment, ample area coverage, foldable transportation
1) Integrated dimming and timing functions, suitable for greenhouses, commercial sheds, and vertical agriculture
2) With an intelligent control module, the light cycle can be set remotely
3) Efficient heat dissipation design to ensure long-term stable operation without attenuation

🎯 Applicable scenarios:
Large-scale facility planting, greenhouse seedlings, vegetable bases, and indoor cannabis planting

✅ Detachable LED Grow Light
Advantages: modular structure, flexible assembly, easy maintenance, and upgrade
1) Each light strip can control the spectrum and lighting time individually
2) Support customized control programs, and adapt to multi-region differentiated management
3) Can integrate light sensors to achieve ambient light-responsive adjustment

🎯 Applicable scenarios:
Scientific research laboratories, multi-variety zoning planting, and indoor home planting systems

 

The suggestions are as follows:
1. Identify the crop photoperiod type: Before planting, clarify whether the plant is long-day, short-day, or day-neutral.
2. Develop a phased lighting plan, such as a more extended seedling period, a moderate growth period, and a shorter flowering period.
3. Use smart timers or App remote control: achieve unattended operation and prevent human error.
4. Ensure that there is absolutely "no light leakage" during the dark period: light pollution will disrupt the rhythm, especially for short-day crops.
5. Combined with environmental factors for comprehensive regulation: cooperate with temperature and humidity controllers, CO₂ supplements, etc., to improve the overall effect.

 

LED photoperiod management not only increases production but also achieves the following:

1. Energy saving and environmental protection: LED saves more than 50% more energy than traditional lamps

2. Off-season planting: does not rely on natural sunlight, stable supply throughout the year

3. Multiple rounds of planting: shorten the growth period and improve land utilization

4. Reduce the use of drugs: healthy development reduces the occurrence of pests and diseases

 

Precise photoperiod control is a bridge to future agriculture. By building an artificially controllable "light environment" with LED Grow lights, growers no longer rely on weather or seasons and can achieve intelligent, stable, and efficient planting management.

 

JT Grow Light focuses on developing LED lighting solutions for different planting scenarios. Our Foldable and Detachable LED Grow Lights are flexible in design and comprehensive in function, making them reliable choices for modern precision agriculture.

 

More Information:

https://www.china-growlight.com/led-grow-lights/spider-led-grow-lights/

https://www.china-growlight.com/led-grow-lights/commercial-led-grow-lights/