Fifteen years after LED lighting was first introduced in the horticultural industry, it’s safe to say it’s here to stay. The Dutch floriculture sector can look back on a successful year, which stimulated many entrepreneurs to invest in LED lighting. Another motivation might have been that the price/µmol was almost halved in the past two years. Many horticulturists are currently exploring the options for LED lighting, with the aim of having them installed by next winter.
Gerbera nurseries alone will be boasting 20-30 ha of newly installed hybrid lighting this autumn. However, the popularity varies enormously from one crop group to another. When it comes to bedding and patio plants, they’re still mostly grown without any artificial lighting. Alstroemeria on the other hand already has hybrid lighting across 75% of the total cultivation acreage, estimates manufacturer Signify.
Alstroemeria growers are ahead when it comes to investing in LED, because the crop requires relatively little heat. In absolute figures, chrysanthemum is the forerunner. In this segment, 10% of the acreage has been equipped with hybrid lighting systems so far. Not much in relative terms, but with 500 ha across the Benelux, chrysanthemum is the largest crop in the region.(..)
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