Basics of LEDs for plant cultivation

Abstract

LEDs have received remarkable attention recently as a light source for plant factories and greenhouses. This chapter presents a simple explanation of LED basics with special reference to plant cultivation. The following items are selected and highlighted in this chapter for that purpose: (1) definitions for LED product terms; (2) light-emitting principle of an LED; (3) LED package configuration types; (4) basic terms for expressing optical, electrical, and radiational characteristics of an LED; (5) optical, electrical, and radiational characteristics in LED operation; (6) lighting methods; (7) radiant flux control methods; (8) special requirements for LED lamps to cultivate plants; (9) advantages and disadvantages of the use of LED in plant cultivation; and (10) luminous efficacy and energy-photon conversion efficacy for plant cultivation.