MI Perfecting City Farming

City farming, the process of growing plants in fully controlled environment, hinges on the development of light recipes - manipulation of the light spectrum

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By Curtis Wildfong

Holland Sentinel

There are seven colors in the visible light spectrum; ROY G. BIV as it’s come to be known, each color a different wavelength.

In the world of photosynthesis, the process in which plants convert light into chemical energy used in plant development, science has proven only some of these wavelengths are absorbed and used. Chlorophyll, the molecule that collects the light and turns it into energy, absorbs mostly blue light and some red. It reflects green light, which is why plants appear green.

Red is most proficient at driving photosynthesis and plant growth and blue is the “multi-vitamin” and prevents plant stretching and cues nutrients production, said Jeff Mastin, a biologist at Holland-based Venntis Technologies, makers of Total Grow. The company has developed a set of different LED fixtures and bulbs geared toward plant growth by using this knowledge. “When you can create your own light spectrum, it opens a lot of doors.”

While science has proved this use of different light in photosynthesis, technology has just now reached a point in which it can actually manipulate the light spectrum to suit plants.

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