IoT-based LED Lighting System with Variable Pulsing Frequency and Dark Periods for Sunflower Microgreens

Abstract

For growing microgreens, it is necessary to understand the effect of the lighting conditions to reach a balance between energy consumption and optimal production of a particular crop. The objective of this study is to develop an IoT-based LED lighting system with adjustable lighting parameters that will maximize the production of sunflower microgreens. The system implemented a controlled environment monitored by sensors and regulated through a single-board computer and microcontroller module. A central composite design and response surface methodology were also used to distinguish the optimum combination of light pulse frequency and dark period. Results proved that shorter dark periods and lower frequencies produced large leaf areas and longer stem lengths. However, increasing the dark period to a maximum of 8 seconds can still result in sizeable crop production by adjusting the pulse frequency between 300 Hz to 600 Hz. It is then possible for growers to decrease power consumption and produce quality yield by controlling the dark period and pulse frequency subjected to the crops