"Plants grown outdoors have evolved to utilise solar UV-B and UV-A to better achieve their genetic potential with strong flavours, colours and nutritional and medicinal values. But in greenhouses, none of the solar UV-B gets through the glass, which is why for example tomatoes grown indoors do not taste as good as outdoor grown crops." These are the views of Peter Crook of Ceravision. It might not come as a surprise that the company researches, develops, manufactures and sells high output UV-B grow lights. "No other commercially available grow-lights, including LEDs, can provide such intense UV-B output. This affects the taste and quality of greenhouse grown crops."
Peter explains how the scientific community has been researching UV-B for some time and the research is now proving the enormous benefits that UV-B provides. The UV-B and the UV-A lights Ceravision develops, are complementary lights, designed to work alongside other lights such as HPS and LEDs.
"UV-B triggers the UVR8 photoreceptor at 280-290 nm to boost the terpenes, essential oils, and flavonoids that drive form, flavour, aroma and colour, and raise nutritional and medicinal values", he says. "Combining UV-A and UV-B with PAR grow-lights can deliver stronger faster vegetative growth and shorter crop cycles with higher quality and yields."
UV420 complementing PAR fixtures
He adds that the combination can help cultivate an organic regime. "As the UV-A/UV-B trigger resistance to many pathogens and pests, so reducing the need for chemical crop protection and lowering residual contaminants for safer consumption.
Finally, research demonstrates that UV-B can be used post-harvest to continue to boost secondary metabolites and prolong shelf-life, and used between crop cycles to sterilise work surfaces of pathogens (such as grey mould) and pests.'
Plasma Growlight Unit
"We are currently fighting as a new company to enter the market, particularly in the current circumstances. However, we also have to educate the horticulture market in the huge benefits that UV-B provides to plant crops", Peter explains. The new UV420 fixture is designed specifically to complement PAR grow-lights to deliver a more complete solar spectrum that helps plants optimise their genetic potential. "We hope that our plasma grow-lights, with a spectrum providing UV-B, UV-A and blue could herald a new scientific future in horticulture lighting and we want growers to benefit from this."
For more information:
Ceravision
Ceravision House
Sherbourne Drive
Tilbrook
Milton Keynes
MK7 8HX
United Kingdom
+44 (0) 1908 371463
info@ceravision.com
www.ceravision.com