Light-emitting diode technology status and directions: opportunities for horticultural lighting

Abstract

Here, light-emitting diode (LED) technology has advanced rapidly over the last decade, primarily driven by display and general illumination applications (solid-state lighting (SSL) for humans). These advancements have made LED lighting technically and economically advantageous not only for these applications, but also, as an indirect benefit, for adjacent applications such as horticultural lighting (SSL for plants). Moreover, LED technology has much room for continued improvement. In the near-term, these improvements will continue to be driven by SSL for humans (with indirect benefit to SSL for plants), the most important of which can be anticipated.