Utilization Efficiencies of Electric Energy and Photosynthetically Active Radiation of Lettuce Grown under Red LED, Blue LED and Fluorescent Lamps with Different Photoperiods

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the utilization efficiencies of electric energy and photosynthetically active radiation of lettuce grown under red LED, blue LED and fluorescent lamps with different photoperiods. Methods: Red LED with peak wavelength of 660 nm and blue LED with peak wavelength of 450 nm were used to analyze the effect of three levels of photoperiod (12/12 h, 16/8 h, 20/4 h) of LED illumination on light utilization efficiency of lettuce grown hydroponically in a closed plant production system (CPPS). Cool-white fluorescent lamps (FL) were used as the control. Photosynthetic photon flux, air temperature and relative humidity in CPPS were maintained at 230 <TEX>${\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$</TEX>, <TEX>$22/18^{\circ}C$</TEX> (light/darkness), and 70%, respectively. Electric conductivity and pH were controlled at 1.5-1.8 <TEX>$dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$</TEX> and 5.5-6.0, respectively. The light utilization efficiency based on the chemical energy converted by photosynthesis, the accumulated electric energy consumed by artificial lighting sources, and the accumulated photosynthetically active radiation illuminated from artificial lighting sources were calculated. Results: As compared to the control, we found that the accumulated electric energy consumption decreased by 75.6% for red LED and by 70.7% for blue LED. The accumulated photosynthetically active radiation illuminated from red LED and blue LED decreased by 43.8% and 33.5%, respectively, compared with the control. The electric energy utilization efficiency (EEUE) of lettuce at growth stage 2 was 1.29-2.06% for red LED, 0.76-1.53% for blue LED, and 0.25-0.41% for FL. The photosynthetically active radiation utilization efficiency (PARUE) of lettuce was 6.25-9.95% for red LED, 3.75-7.49% for blue LED, and 2.77-4.62% for FL. EEUE and PARUE significantly increased with the increasing light period. Conclusions: From these results, illumination time of 16-20 h in a day was proposed to improve the light utilization efficiency of lettuce grown in a plant factory.