Far-red: The Forgotten Photons

In this video, Dr. Bruce Bugbee reviews recent research on the powerful effect of far-red photons on plant growth and development. The summary includes the evidence for the direct value of far-red photons in photosynthesis as well as their value in promoting leaf expansion rate in lettuce. The evidence indicates that we need to redefine photosynthetic photons to include wavelengths beyond 700 nm. The availability of efficient far-red emitting LEDs means that there are immediate commercial applications of this research for indoor agriculture. VIDEO CONTENT 03:22 Far-red photons are right on the edge of visible light - 700-760 nm. 04:02 We typically break up light into three categories: blue, green, and red. 04:45 A story on Dr. Shuyang Zhen’s research with four growth chambers measuring canopy photosynthesis with different lights. 06:06 The results of the study are opposite from what you would assume because of adding far-red photons. 07:53 Do white lights grow plants equally well compared to red/blu