Plant growth optimization using variable intensity and Far Red LED treatment in indoor farming

Abstract

Plant growth optimization using LED light has been conducted to study the best method to reduce power consumption and obtain the optimum growth. In this study a system that able to produce variable intensity using microcontroller, solid state and dimmable LED light has been proposed. Two experiments were conducted with i) combined Red / Blue/White (RBW) LEDs of ratio 16:4:2 as light source for 12 hours photoperiod treatment ii) Red/Blue/Far Red (RBFR) LEDs of ratio 16:4:16 as light source for 12 hours photoperiod treatment. The finding from the experiment has shown that variable intensity method has proven to reduce overall power consumption, increase mortality of the plant by introducing hardening process and significantly RF treatment has shown to delay the flowering process. Our analysis shows that the system allowed the finding of a new method on optimization of plant growth using LED light with variable intensity and shows significant difference on flowering respond using FR treatment. Prototype of the proposed system has been developed in small scale hydroponic plant growth chamber. Data acquisition and remote management of the system is used to maintain humidity, temperature, CO2 concentration and light intensity and development of automated system for plant manipulation.