"We found out that they can really dramatically increase plant physiology, increase mineral nutrient levels, and also increase antioxidant levels, which are very important for us in the diet," said Kopsell.
Kopsell said plants only need a small percentage of sunlight rays, but under LED lighting, researchers can intensify the light plants do need, saving them energy. He said while LED lights come in all colors, blue and red are the most important to plant growth.
"We're looking at the important impacts of red and blue but more importantly we're adjusting the ratios of red and blue," said Kopsell. "So on a normal day, we're taking the percent blue that would normally be in sunlight, and we're increasing that by three or four fold, and we're really improving the nutritional and mineral and antioxidant levels in the crops. "
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Kopsell and Dr. Carl Sams studied the impacts on herbs and specialty vegetables, like kale. He said the already healthy crop produced even higher levels of nutrients, like calcium, potassium, iron, and even anti-cancer components.
The LED lights also emit less heat, especially compared to high pressure sodium lamps found in greenhouses, which are usually 1,000 watts each.
"You can see they've got a yellow tint, because they have yellow light in them. They're hot and can wilt the tops of the plants closest to the light," said Kopsell. "But you don't have that detrimental heat impact under blue and red LEDs."
