UK: Production update from LED trial at STC

The LED trials at Stockbridge Technology Center in Yorkshire are in full swing. In the monthly newsletter of the British Tomato Grower Association, STC's Dr. Phillip Davis shared an update on the current outcome of the research. He informs that "due to the differences in natural light availability, the cumulative yields on the two ‘all LED’ treatments are still half a week behind the two HPS treatments. However, despite this differences in natural light availability in the four compartments, since week 3 the rate of production has been similar for the four compartments."

By Dr. Phillip Davis, Stockbridge technology Center:

The growth of the tomato crop cv. Sunstream continues to be good in all four of our light treatments. The plants in the LED only compartments have a slightly more generative appearance and slightly less extension growth than those in the two treatments with HPS lights. Fruit quality is high in all compartments.

One factor potentially influencing the data from this trial so far has been the differences in natural light received by the four compartments. On sunny days, yes the sun does shine in Yorkshire, the two HPS treatments which are on the South facing side of the glasshouse receive more sunlight than the LED treatments located on the North facing side of the glasshouse. On cloudy days the light received is similar in all four compartments. In order to counteract the differences on sunny days we have white-washed the south facing side of the glasshouse. We will now re-measure the light penetration into the four compartments to see if this has had the desired effect. It will be interesting to track the yield over the coming months to see how/if this influences the yields.

The research facility at STC

The cumulative yields on the two ‘all LED’ treatments are still half a week behind the two HPS treatments (See figure below). However, despite the differences in natural light availability in the four compartments, since week 3 the rate of production has been similar for the four compartments. The weekly yields are expected to increase over the next few weeks following on from the previous increases in head densities.
Media exposure of the project has be high again this month following on from the official opening of the LED4CROPS High Wire facility by the Rt Hon Michael Jack CBE, with several major newspapers printing articles. We at STC are also proud to have won The David Piccaver Science award, at the annual Grower of the Year Awards, for our work on LED lighting in crop production.

For more information, please visit http://www.stockbridgeonline.co.uk/category/led4crops/

Source: Newsletter of the British Tomato Growers Association