Plant Growing System Using Sequential Red and Far-Red Light Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant growth methods using artificial light, such as irradiating short-day and day-neutral plants with monochromatic far-red or red light, have limited growth promotion effects and are not universally applicable.
Innovation Solution
A plant growing system that includes a first light source for red light and a second light source for far-red light, controlled by a timing mechanism to start red light irradiation before sunset and far-red light irradiation after red light irradiation has ceased, with specific wavelength ranges and irradiance levels to promote continuous light exposure near sunset.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If monochromatic far-red light is irradiated to short-day and day-neutral plants, then the growth promotion effect is achieved, but the effect is weak
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines red light and far-red light irradiation into a single treatment protocol. The light source emits both wavelengths simultaneously or sequentially, creating a composite light treatment that leverages the complementary effects of both spectral regions to strongly promote stem elongation and growth in short-day and day-neutral plants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise wavelength parameters for the light source: red light at 610-680 nm and far-red light at 685-780 nm. By controlling these spectral parameters and their ratios, the system optimizes the growth promotion effect while avoiding the weakness of monochromatic far-red light alone.
2Quantity of substance
If red light and far-red light are irradiated simultaneously to solanaceous plants, then sugar content increases, but growth acceleration is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic timing control where red light is irradiated during the daytime and far-red light is irradiated after sunset. This temporal separation and switching strategy allows the plant to experience different light conditions at different times, achieving both growth acceleration and sugar content increase, unlike simultaneous irradiation which only increases sugar content.
3Loss of time
If red light and far-red light are irradiated simultaneously to short-day plants, then bloom time is accelerated, but growth promotion is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic temporal control to separate red light irradiation (during daytime) from far-red light irradiation (after sunset). This time-dependent strategy promotes both vegetative growth and accelerates blooming, whereas simultaneous irradiation only accelerates blooming without significant growth promotion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies red light during the daytime as a preliminary action to promote vegetative growth before the far-red light treatment after sunset accelerates blooming. This sequential preparation allows both growth and flowering to be optimized.
4Ease of operation
If far-red light irradiation is performed after sunset, then the treatment is simple, but the growth promotion effect is weak
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges red light irradiation during daytime with far-red light irradiation after sunset into a single integrated system. This maintains operational simplicity while dramatically enhancing the growth promotion effect compared to far-red light alone, as the combination of both wavelengths works synergistically.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system significantly accelerates plant growth by continuous irradiation with red and far-red light near sunset, outperforming conventional techniques in promoting growth and reducing the time required for plants to reach a certain height.
Implementation Method 1
a first light source for irradiating red light to a plant; the first light source has a peak wavelength in a range of 610 to 680 nm
Implementation Method 2
a second light source for irradiating far-red light to the plant; the second light source has a peak wavelength in a range of 685 to 780 nm
Implementation Method 3
the plant is continuously irradiated with the red light and the far-red light near sunset, thereby promoting the growth of the plant remarkably
Data Source
AI summary
A plant growing system (1) of the present invention includes: a first light source (2) for irradiating red light to a plant; a second light source (3) for irradiating far-red light to the plant; a control part (4) that controls irradiation operations of the first light source (2) and the second light source (3); and a time setting part (5) that sets a time zone in which the control part (4) operates the irradiation of the first light source (2) and the second light source (3). The time setting part (5) is designed such that the first light source (2) starts red light irradiation before sunset; and the second light source (3) starts far-red light irradiation after the red light irradiation.