UV LEDs yield deeper-color antioxidant-rich plants

slebans

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Something I found on the net.
Plant physiologists led by Steve Britz of the US Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, MD
http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2009/MAY/USDA_260509.htm

They use UVB. Anyone want to try with a more common 365nm UV led just to see a result? My own UV project is still in the works.

Thanks for any help.

You will find several other references on the Web describing the same effect. I have also read where light from LEDs at specific wavelengths is used to increase the content of certain Vitamins. Other wavelengths are used to reduce Nitrate concentrations.

We hope to have our controlled environment room finished in the next month. I plan on testing all of the above assertions on Lettuce and other greens.

Stephen Lebans
 

hanlin_y

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UV LED's tend to have a short lifespan because the lens yellow. Does this occur with 1 or 3 watt UV LED's?
 

Kinnza

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UVB and UVA has different effects on plants, and for some things they work one against the other.

In general, UVB is used to increase biosynthesis of flavonoids and phenols while shorter wavelenghts seems to increase terpenoids synthesis.

The effect of using both is generally modulated, so very dosage dependent. UVB alone is very dosage dependent too and depends a lot of the plant specie.

High power UV LEDs uses optics which yellow just very slightly, but anyway, UV LEDs lifespan is still shorter than other types of LEDs.
 

pretmetled

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UVB and UVA has different effects on plants, and for some things they work one against the other.

In general, UVB is used to increase biosynthesis of flavonoids and phenols while shorter wavelenghts seems to increase terpenoids synthesis.

I was with you all the way up to "terpenoids". What the hell are terpenoids? Must ... google ...

Edit: Yay for wikipedia!
 
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