Abstract
In recent years, research on light emitting diodes (LEDs) has highlighted their great potential as a lighting system for plant growth, development and metabolism control. The suitability of LED devices for plant cultivation has turned the technology into a main component in controlled or closed plant-growing environments, experiencing an extremely fast development of horticulture LED metrics. In this context, the present study aims to provide an insight into the current global horticulture LED industry and the present features and potentialities for LEDs’ applications. An updated review of this industry has been integrated through a database compilation of 301 manufacturers and 1473 LED lighting systems for plant growth. The research identifies Europe (40%) and North America (29%) as the main regions for production. Additionally, the current LED luminaires’ lifespans show 10 and 30% losses of light output after 45,000 and 60,000 working hours on average, respectively, while the vast majority of worldwide LED lighting systems present efficacy values ranging from 2 to 3 μmol J−1 (70%). Thus, an update on the status of the horticultural LED sector, LEDs’ applications and metrics, and the intense innovation are described and discussed.
Highlights
The use of artificial light for plant growth and development purposes has been known for more than a century [1]
The suitability of light emitting diodes (LEDs) technology for plant growth has determined its application as a main component of vertical farming, with it being progressively chosen by growers to improve plant light environments as more lighting enterprises have entered the industry [31]
The United States, China and Canada are the biggest manufacturers of LED grow lights, occupying almost half of the market, while in Europe, their production is quite uniformly distributed among countries
Summary
The use of artificial light for plant growth and development purposes has been known for more than a century [1]. Until recently, horticultural lighting systems were based on the traditional industry and not designed for plant growth applications [2]. The above-mentioned artificial lighting sources (e.g., FL, HPS, MH and INC lamps) can present several drawbacks, as they are not spectrally optimal for crops nor energetically efficient, releasing a large amount of radiant heat [3]. The most recent light emitting diodes (LEDs) have replaced conventional lighting technologies in many indoor and protected environments, resulting in great and rapid technological evolution in the horticultural lighting industry [5]
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