Lighting for Life
Lighting solutions for reducing fungal disease/issues for greenhouses or indoor growers
There are about 100,000 species of fungus (mold or mildew), many of which have spores ranging in size from 3 to 40 microns (human hair is 100 to 150 microns). Mold spores are ubiquitous – they are literally everywhere. In the open outdoor environment, sunlight reduces the risk of mildew or fungal disease growth for plants. However, greenhouses or indoor grow facilities can provide an environment of high moisture and warm temperature where fungal disease or problems are more likely to occur. This fungus could cause an increase in cost and economic loss to growers, and potential health risks to consumers who use the plant products (like cannabis flower) infected with mold, which may develop during the growing, drying, and storage period.
While UVC is often considered a common choice for disinfection, its practical use for a range of applications is limited since direct exposure is extremely harmful to plants and people. Light in UVA/UVB spectrums, and even visible blue wavelength, can inactivate many fungi or reduce fungal spore germination. However, the effectiveness varies depending on wavelength, intensity, and dosage of radiation of the light. Moreover, different fungus strains may have different sensitivity to a certain wavelength. Narrow band light sources like LED of UVA or UVB may be effective for controlling some fungal diseases, but may not be for others.
Our LifeBrite Sunlite, featuring a broad spectrum of visible light and UVA/UVB, can effectively reduce fungal presentation in the air, on plant surfaces, or other surfaces like ceilings or walls. In one of the locations using our sun lamps, although UVC disinfection was installed in the central air conditioning system, the addition of our 250W LifeBrite sun lamps actually “cleaned” the air better. A significant decrease (Figure 1 through 4) in fungal spore growth on agar plates after the installation was observed.
While UVC is often considered a common choice for disinfection, its practical use for a range of applications is limited since direct exposure is extremely harmful to plants and people. Light in UVA/UVB spectrums, and even visible blue wavelength, can inactivate many fungi or reduce fungal spore germination. However, the effectiveness varies depending on wavelength, intensity, and dosage of radiation of the light. Moreover, different fungus strains may have different sensitivity to a certain wavelength. Narrow band light sources like LED of UVA or UVB may be effective for controlling some fungal diseases, but may not be for others.
Our LifeBrite Sunlite, featuring a broad spectrum of visible light and UVA/UVB, can effectively reduce fungal presentation in the air, on plant surfaces, or other surfaces like ceilings or walls. In one of the locations using our sun lamps, although UVC disinfection was installed in the central air conditioning system, the addition of our 250W LifeBrite sun lamps actually “cleaned” the air better. A significant decrease (Figure 1 through 4) in fungal spore growth on agar plates after the installation was observed.
Figure 1: one month before LifeBrite installation
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Figure 2: five days after LifeBrite installed
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Figure 3: one month after LifeBrite installed
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Figure 4: two months after LifeBrite installed
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The test results offer promise for the use of LifeBrite sun lamps with broad UVA/UVB spectrum for the control of fungus (mold) for greenhouses or indoor growers.
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LifeBrite PendantAvailable with Mogul or Double Ended base, 250W UVA/UVB Full Spectrum Metal Halide Lamp, upgraded UV-transparent Glass, and a Pulse Start Magnetic Ballast
Desktop Sunlight LampPortable, adjustable UVA/UVB Pendant with Ballast attached
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XHO UVA/UVB LEDThe Xtreme High Output LED Fixture features UVA/UVB LEDs, UV-transparent lens, and a high performance reflector system
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