Grow Lighting 101
The Benefits of CALIVE UV+IR Supplemental Kit
Mar
Humans can only detect visible light spectrum wavelengths (380-740nm). Plants, on the other hand, detect wavelengths including our visible light and beyond, to include ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) spectrums.
In order to help cannabis cultivators produce more THC yield, and increase the amount of protein in plants, CALIVE released the cutting edge product—CALIVE UV+IR Supplemental Kit 100W.
Many studies show that UV and IR spectrums have major benefits for cannabis cultivation. UV and IR light can help accelerate flowering, increase nutrition, increase growth rate, and more. Depending on if the light source is sole (indoors) or supplementary (greenhouses) also affects which grow light spectrums should be used. CALIVE UV+IR Supplemental Kit not only provides the target spectrum wavelengths (380-740nm), but it also has its own dedicated driver for growers to dim-up and dim-down the UV+IR output. Therefore, growers can control the UV+IR light accurately during the growing process.
CALIVE UV + IR Supplemental Kit is ideally paired with the CALIVE HYDRA 630W and 720W and the FLUTTERBY 600W and 800W LED grow lights during the vegetative, veg-to-flower and flowering steps.
HYDRA Vertical Farming Grow Light
FLUTTERBY Cannabis Grow Light
The Benefits of CALIVE UV+IR Supplemental Kit UVA
- Light Spectrum Wavelengths (315-400nm)
UVA and near ultraviolet light (315-400nm) has the highest wavelengths of UV light and can be very beneficial to plant development. UVA has also been shown to increase the amounts of THC, CBD, and terpene production in cannabis plants, without the negative effects of UVB. Wavelengths in the UVA spectral range are included in the absorption spectrum, particularly in the 380nm range. The absorption spectrum is the range of wavelengths of light that are absorbed by green chlorophyll for photosynthesis. Additionally, research has shown that exposing plants to UVA light can also inhibit mold growth and fungal development.
The application of UVA light at night can effectively zap the white powdery mildew’s DNA and kill it.
- Light spectrum wavelengths (700-760nm)
Research conducted in 1957 showed that combining blue light and red light with far-red/infrared light (700-760nm), led to an increased rate of photosynthesis due to the Emerson effect. The protein Phytochrome is the only known receptor that is sensitive to far-red/infrared wavelengths. Plants use Phytochrome to regulate when a plant is to switch from vegetation state to flowering, and the time of flowering, due to the length of daylight or exposure to artificial light. The appropriate amounts of far-red and infrared light can also be very effective at promoting robust stem growth, proper node spacing, and increased flowers and fruit.
Too much IR radiation can also be an issue because to plants the majority of IR radiation is felt as heat. CALIVE UV + IR Supplemental Kit has its own dedicated driver, that makes the light bar dimmable. Growers can control the IR light output themselves. For this reason, they can prevent overexposure to IR radiation that could burn the plants.
CALIVE UV + IR Supplemental Kit not only works with CALIVE LED grow lights, but can also be retrofitted onto other brands of LED grow lights. For more detailed information, please contact CALIVE’s grow lighting designer at: hello@calivellc.com or (510) 891-1056.