LED or SON-T: The Impact on Your Climate

Are you in the process of, or considering, switching from SON-T to LED lighting? Besides energy savings, this switch impacts your greenhouse climate. Learn about the three effects you need to monitor.

In recent years, LED lighting has become the new standard, replacing the once-dominant HPS (SON-T) lamps. These LED lamps are significantly more efficient. Greenhouses that have switched to LED save up to 40-60% energy. Additionally, growers have more control over the light spectrum received by the plants, which greatly impacts plant morphology and thus yield.

However, the transition from SON-T to LED brings several practical challenges. The type of lamp has a significant effect on the greenhouse climate. LED lamps produce much less radiant heat than SON-T lamps. The plants receive more light but less heat. Keep an eye on the following effects:

• Evaporation: Due to the reduced radiant heat, evaporation decreases. This can have several effects. In tomato cultivation, for instance, this can lead to calcium not reaching the top of the crop properly, which reduces the quality of the harvest.
• Humidity & Disease Pressure: The heat released by SON-T lighting needs to be vented adequately. This also ensures that humidity does not get too high. When switching to LED lamps, the windows remain closed more often to retain as much heat as possible. Humidity can rise dangerously, increasing disease pressure.
• Plant Balance: The balance between generative and vegetative growth is essential for healthy plant development. LED lighting affects this balance due to changes in light and heat conditions (RTR). High light intensity with too little heat can promote vegetative growth at the expense of generative growth, leading to an unfavorable plant balance. It’s important to monitor and regulate the RTR properly, for example, by adjusting lighting and climate control.

A microclimate sensor placed strategically in the greenhouse helps you monitor evaporation, humidity, and the RTR balance. Confidently transition towards energy savings. Interested? Contact Tessa for a consultation at t.ridderikhoff@30mhz.com.