Lighting Approaches to Maximize Profits

Supplemental lighting is often necessary for year-round greenhouse production of ornamentals and vegetables. However, the cost of providing supplemental light is high. It is therefore important that supplemental light is provided in a way that provides the greatest benefits for the crop, at the lowest possible price. To do so, it is important to understand the cost of providing supplemental light as well as how plants use that light. Accurate weather predictions can help minimize the risk of providing more excess light than is required by a specific crop. Learn how to account for these factors to help grow high-quality, profitable crops.

Dr. Marc van Iersel received his PhD from the University of Arkansas in 1994. He has been with horticulture department of the University of Georgia since 1995, where he now holds the Dooley professorship. His research focuses on cost-effective supplemental lighting technologies in greenhouses and vertical farms. He is the director of project LAMP (www.hortlamp.org), a $5M, US-based research project that brings together plant scientists, engineers, and economists to develop profitable supplemental lighting strategies. In 2017, he co-founded Candidus, Inc. (www.candidus.us) to help bring novel lighting strategies to the greenhouse industry.

The GLASE Consortium Webinar Series is a selection of live recorded online presentations that cover a broad range of topics at varying technical levels and scale. The webinars are hosted by GLASE director Erico Mattos and a guest speaker: an industry or research expert. These webinars feature the latest technological innovations and best practices in the CEA field providing the audience the opportunity to discover new solutions and to connect with field experts.