Special Plant Seminar September 2017

Wim van Ieperen, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Date: 14th September 2017

Time: 14:00

Title: Light in Dutch Greenhouse Horticulture: The Past, Present and Future 

Location: Seminar room 1015, Biocentre 2, Viikinkaari 5

Host: Paula Elomaa

Abstract: Light influences the growth and development of plants in multiple ways: it provides energy for photosynthesis and growth and delivers a set of signals that help them to adjust their growth and development to their growth- environment. In Dutch Greenhouse horticulture due to lack of natural light during large parts of the year, artificial lighting is commonly used and one of the major reasons why year-round production of many vegetables and ornamental plants is so successful. Driven by the urgency to reduce energy consumption in Dutch Horticulture, we started to investigate the possibilities of LED-technology in plant production systems in 2002. The first decade, this research was strongly focused on influences of light quality on photosynthesis, but more recently it extended into several other directions, including plant development and water relations.
In this lecture, I will give an overview of recently finalized and currently ongoing research projects related to the factor light at the Horticulture and Product Physiology group of Wageningen University.