Contents

• Plant Development is dependent on the specific spectrums of the light source and the usable light energy
• Usable Light Energy of Artificial Lighting compared to Sunlight
• Criteria for maximizing the artificial light energy for photosynthesis
• High efficiency Light System
• Chart for Micro-Einsteins per watt of various types of light bulbs
  

Product Info

• Quantum Meter Product List (Prices and Specs)
• Understanding how Quantum Meters work

Plant Development is dependent on the specific spectrums of the light source and the usable light energy

Only 37% of the energy in sunlight is within the wavelength (colors) useful for photosynthesis, while 62.4% is infrared (thermal energy) and the remaining 0.6% is ultraviolet. Photosynthesis in the plant leaf is powered by 1% of the sunlight that falls on the plant, 10% of the sunlight is reflected and 10% passes through the leaf. The leaf will retain 80% which is used for transpiration. Some of the light is re-radiated, while the fraction that remains is used for building food from the carbon dioxide, minerals and water.1
 

Percent of usable  light energy
	Light Spectrum Range

Percentage of usable of light energy (0-100% y-axis)  / Light spectrum range (x-axis). For photosynthesis the most important spectrums of the light are blue and red.1   Germination, flowering and stem growth are influenced by red to far red. Fluorescent bulb.

In artificial environments it is important to keep these factor in mind when programming the light source for the plants life cycle.  According to our research for NASA, care should be taken to ensure that the plants grow under an artificial light source have adequate infra-red protection to prevent undue environmental stress for the plants.2  For the associated light spectrum consult your bulb's manufacturer (see below for some comparisons).

1. The Solar Greenhouse Book
2. A Gravity-insensitive High-performance Aeroponic System for Food Production in Space (1997 NASA SBIR Phase I Report - Aeroponics International)

Usable Light Energy of Artificial Lighting compared to Sunlight

Useable light energy for plant growth is measured in Micro-Einstein’s ( micro-mols of photons per meter squared per second). The sunlight reaching our plant is approximately 2,200 micro-Einstein’s on a cloud-less day  and 170  micro-Einstein’s on a very cloudy day.

For indoor growing under artificial lighting a range of  200 to 500 micro-Einsteins is considered by experts at NASA to be minimal energy level for plant growth.

The higher the bulb wattage the further away the plant must be from the light source to prevent environmental heat stress that can cause the plant to transpire too quickly. Excessive transpiring can dehydrate plants leading to wilting and poor growth. Likewise, the further the plant is from the light source the less available useable energy is delivered to the plant.  The indoor grower most tune light energy resources as well as other environmental variables for optimal growing conditions.
 
 

Photo: Inside the Aeroponic Benchtop Professional Unit

 

Criteria for maximizing the artificial light energy for photosynthesis

The indoor grower has several options for maximizing the artificial light energy for photosynthesis, they are as follows:

• Use light bulbs that have the highest level Micro-Einsteins per watt (reproducing natural sunlight conditions as much as possible)
• Place the bulb as close to the plant as possible to deliver the highest level Micro-Einsteins per square inch (without over-heating the plant)
• Filter out infra-red radiation (to use the only the portion of the light spectrum needed by the plant and to reduce heat build up inside of the plant cells)

Aeroponics International has developed a high efficiency Light System that meets the above criteria to deliver the optimum light energy level to your plants.

Chart for Micro-Einsteins per watt of various types of light bulbs

Below is a chart that can help you in determining the useable light 
energy for your plants. For optimum usable energy for photosynthesis, 
select a bulb that has the lowest wattage with the 
highest usable energy coefficient with less than 1.5°F temperature 
rise at 4 inches away from the light source. 


Can your artificial light source do this?

Measure Micro-Einsteins with our quantum meter

Our LighArrays offers exceptional Micro-Einsteins out per watt (160 -240 watts)

More Light Array models - click here

Micro-Einstein Bulb Comparisons
 

BULB Type:	Distance:	Micro-Einsteins:  Measured with a Quantum Meter	Usable Energy Coefficient (micro-einsteins per watt)
Incandescent 100 watt	3 inches	310	3.100
Incandescent 100 watt	6 inches	190	1.900
Incandescent 100 watt	12 inches	65	0.650
Incandescent 100 watt	18 inches	27	0.270
Incandescent 100 watt	24 inches	18	0.180
Incandescent 100 watt	36 inches	9	0.090
Halogen 20 watt	3 inches	1279	63.950
Halogen 20 watt	6 inches	413	20.650
Halogen 20 watt	12 inches	145	7.250
Halogen 20 watt	18 inches	122	6.100
Halogen 20 watt	24 inches	65	3.250
Halogen 20 watt	36 inches	32	1.600
Sodium 250 watt	3 inches	250	1.000
Sodium 250 watt	6 inches	99	0.396
Sodium 250 watt	12 inches	30	0.120
Sodium 250 watt	18 inches	14	0.056
Sodium 250 watt	24 inches	10	0.040
Sodium 250 watt	36 inches	7	0.028
Gro-Lite 100 watt	3 inches	420	8.400
Gro-Lite 100 watt	6 inches	135	2.700
Gro-Lite 100 watt	12 inches	60	1.200
Gro-Lite 100 watt	18 inches	31	0.620
Gro-Lite 100 watt	24 inches	18	0.360
Gro-Lite 100 watt	36 inches	9	0.180
Fluorescent 40 watt	3 inches	52	1.300
Fluorescent 40 watt	6 inches	36	0.900
Fluorescent 40 watt	12 inches	13	0.325
Fluorescent 40 watt	18 inches	7	0.175
Fluorescent 40 watt	24 inches	5	0.125
Fluorescent 40 watt	36 inches	2.5	0.063

Also see:

How to maintain a sterile environment for plant growth

Understanding Light Energy for Aeroponic Plant Growth

Aeroponic BenchTop Units for indoor growing

General Overview of Aeroponics

Tomato crops produced using Aeroponics

Trees and Shrubs Database Successfully propagated using Aeroponics

System Layout

See the Component Descriptions of the above systems

Seed Germination Accessories

How Aeroponics works

Information on Aeroponic Growing

Biocontrol info:

            Biocontrol Brochure

            BEYOND All Natural Plant Amendment™ Brochure

           Testimony Letters

Purchase ODC / Beyond  Biocontrols and Aeroponic Units and Systems

 

 

Use natural biocontrol products visit www.biocontrols.com