LEDs for the growing of green vegetables

Phytochromes, cryptochromes and phototropins play an important role in the mediation of plant growth. These photoreceptors are activated by specific light wavelengths and deficient amount of certain light wavelengths may lead to undesirable plant growth. Hence, the quality of light received by a plant has a great influence on its growth. Besides light quality, light intensity is an important factor as well. Butterhead Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were grown under varying light conditions namely, sunlight, blue-red, red, white-blue-red and white light, to evaluate the effects of light quality and light quantity on plant growth. Even though sunlight prove to be the most favourable for plant growth. Aside from the broad spectrum of light wavelengths it is able to offer, greater lettuce growth under sunlight can also be attributed to the significantly greater photosynthetic flux density of sunlight compared to the LED light treatments provided in the experiment. Lettuce growth under red-blue treatment proved to be the greatest among the LED treatments while monochromatic red treatment resulted in the development of awkward plant morphology in lettuce.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering