Scientists from the University of Guelph, in Canada, are studying the effects of supplemental lights from below the canopy on cannabis cultivation. They looked into a few things like flower to plant ratio, cannabinoid contents, and importantly, the effects on terpene contents.
The cultivation included normal overhead lighting but, the researchers added LED lights below the canopy that were pointing upwards. The LED lights were compromised out of 2 spectrums: red/blue (RB) and red/blue/green (RBG). Two crop cycles were done for results.
In both crop cycles, both RB and RGB led lighting under the canopy significantly increased the ratio of flower to plant. The total yield of flowers also increased under both light treatments. RGB lights produced the largest yields.
The added light from below also changed the terpene profiles of the plants, but more noticeable it caused variations between the upper and lower canopy that weren’t found in control plants.
Lower canopy: RGB greatly increased concentrations of alpha-pinene and borneol.
Upper canopy: alpha-pinene, limonene, myrcene, and linalool were present at much higher concentrations in the RGB treatment than in the control.
Meanwhile, RB and RGB increased concentrations of nerolidol content in the upper and lower canopy.
However, several other studies report that in many species of plants red, blue, and green light also regulate phytohormones which are responsible for defense and metabolites such as terpenes.
The scientists at the University of Guelph are planning more follow-ups on light spectrums, cannabis, and terpenes, according to their paper.
https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/53/11/article-p1593.xml
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