To meet the demand for high-quality products and red-pigmented salad, Swedish company Spisa Smaker AB invested in an LED growth lamp system. Not only has the company managed to significantly improve quality, but has also reduced electricity consumption by 48%.
A key part of running a commercial nursery is to continuously improve crop quality and optimize production to meet demand. Horticultural technology offers many opportunities to develop a company’s production methods and products. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for lettuce and herbs that not only taste good but also look decorative. One solution that can be used to meet this demand is LED grow lights.
Swedish company Spisa Smaker AB is one of the companies that has noticed this demand. The company, which is Europe’s largest producer of herbs and salad, must constantly develop its business and adapt to external factors. That’s why they decided to invest in the LED grow light solution FL300 from DGT by Senmatic to increase production quality and save energy.
“We needed to focus on increasing the quality of our agricultural products and we also saw an increased demand for red lettuce and herbs with a more intense taste, so we needed a solution that could help us meet these challenges,” says Maintenance Manager at Spisa Smaker AB Adam Johnsson.
“The high degree of control that is possible with the LED system was decisive in the decision because it gives us a great opportunity to work with the pigment in our lettuce and grow the best possible crop. In addition to improving the red pigment of the lettuce, we have also been able to produce a more stable crop with a higher density thanks to the LED system.”
Adam Johnsson Maintenance Manager at Spisa Smaker AB
Produces red pigmentation in salad
There are several lettuce varieties that contain red pigment. Under natural light conditions it is possible to grow red lettuce during the summer months when the concentration of sunlight is high, while it is more difficult to grow red lettuce during the dark winter months when the days are shorter.
This was also the main reason why Spisa Smaker AB chose to install LED lighting.
“We had some pretty big challenges with the color of the red lettuce during the winter months and we could not deliver the necessary quality,” says Adam Johnsson.
“Now we can grow red pigmented lettuce during the winter months without these problems.
For many years it was thought that the red color of lettuce was caused by the red light in the sun’s rays.
– But today we know that the red pigmentation is caused by exposure to light at the blue end of the spectrum, says Johnny Rasmussen, Key Account Manager at DGT by Senmatic.
This was discovered when lettuce was exposed to LED lamps with a high content of blue light.
– The blue light activates the red pigment and the process happens faster than using traditional light sources. This means that lettuce varieties containing red pigment can turn red in just five days under LED light beams,” explains Johnny Rasmussen.
Controlling texture and color with LED lights
As Spisa Smaker AB has learned, full-spectrum LED light not only affects the red color of the lettuce, but also its structure. While the blue light gives a dense structure, the red light makes the lettuce cells stretch.
“The high degree of control possible with LED lighting systems allows our customers to improve the quality of their lettuce and thus grow better crops,” says Johnny Rasmussen. He adds that a good rule of thumb is to primarily expose the lettuce to blue light at the beginning of the production process. When the lettuce is exposed to more red light later in the process, it stimulates growth and increases the length of the leaves at the top of the lettuce. In the final stage of production, the blue light needs to be dominant to produce the red color, explains Johnny Rasmussen.
“The possibility of complete control is what makes LED lighting unique and efficient. You can control every step of the production process and thus improve product quality.”
Johnny Rasmussen Key Account Manager at DGT by Senmatic
Benefits for all commercial nurseries
LED lighting systems have several advantages that all commercial greenhouses can benefit from. LED lamps use significantly less energy than traditional light fixtures, which has a positive long-term effect on both greenhouse operating costs and the environment.
At Spisa Smaker AB, they experienced not only a significant improvement in product quality, but also a huge reduction in electricity consumption thanks to the energy-efficient LED fixtures.<“When the FL300 system was used at the same light intensity as traditional high pressure sodium lamps, it resulted in energy savings of 48%,” explains Adam Johnsson.
The use of LED lighting in commercial horticulture is still a relatively new practice, but it is catching on quickly as more and more companies in the industry realize the benefits.
“Research is going fast. In a few years, we will have even more knowledge and thus even stronger cases and better examples of companies that have achieved impressive results in terms of higher yield and quality, predicts Johnny Rasmussen.
He believes that switching to LED lighting is the key to staying competitive and maintaining or increasing market share.
Read more about our horticultural solutions.
“It’s more crucial than ever to be able to customize your production and adapt to changes in the industry at large. This is possible with LED lighting thanks to its unprecedented level of control. When you install an LED lighting system, it’s not just a temporary solution for quality optimization, but an investment in the future.”
Johnny Rasmussen Key Account Manager at DGT by Senmatic
Learn more about the benefits of LED systems and the increased possibility of lighting control – contact us today!
