If you are a cannabis or hemp grower, then you need to understand Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy.
This term refers to the efficiency of plants in converting light energy into useful chemical energy for growth. Growers around the world are always looking for ways to improve their yields. This is one of them, and with proper equipment and handling, you'll likely be able to increase what you harvest.
One of the most important factors in plant growth is light intensity. We're going to discuss Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy (PPE) and how it affects plant growth. Additionally, we'll provide tips on how to optimize your grow space for maximum yield and improve your return.
What Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy (PPE)?
How efficacy is measured is that it defines a grow light's ability to convert power into photosynthetic active radiation. For every input watt that a photon light emits is how efficacy is measured. You may already know this but a grower's yield is simply the number of dried buds that you're able to harvest from one of your plants.
Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy is a measure of how efficiently plants convert light into useful chemical energy.The higher the PPE, the more efficient the plant is at converting light into growth.
Cannabis and hemp growers should aim for different levels of PPE at a certain PPF during different stages of the growth process to achieve maximum yields. However, for example, during the flowering stage, you should stick within 800 and 1,500 umol/m2/s.
To optimize your grow space for maximum yield, you need to first understand how light intensity affects plant growth. You also need to know what type of light fixtures produce the highest PPE. It's typical for LED lights to be the most efficient, followed by high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights.
Mercury vapor (MV) and metal halide (MH) lights are the least efficient, but they are still a great option for growers on a budget.
How PPE Is Measured and How to Compare Different Lights
We know that Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy is how a light source can convert electricity into photons to be usable by plants in an efficient way. It’s measured in micromoles per second (umol/s).
When choosing a light for growing hemp or cannabis, it’s important to compare different products based on their PPE ratings. A light with a high PPE rating will be more efficient and require less power to achieve the same results as a light with a lower rating. This means you’ll save money on your electric bill and also reduce the load on your grow room’s electrical system.
When comparing different lights, it’s important to look at PPE values to see which one will be most effective for your grow. For example, LED lights will have higher PPE values than traditional HPS or MH lights. This means they can produce more photons per watt of energy consumed, making them a more efficient choice for growing cannabis or hemp.
If you want to calculate the approximate PPE of a light source, try using this formula:
PPE (umol/s) = irradiance (W/m²) x quantum yield (photons emitted/photon absorbed) x spectral bandwidth (µm) / 1000
For example, if you have an LED light that produces 500 W of irradiance and has a quantum yield of 0.95, the PPE would be calculated as follows:
- PPE (umol/s) = 500 W / m(2) x 0.95 photons emitted / photon absorbed x spectral bandwidth (µm) / 1000
- PPE (umol/s) = 475.47 umol/s
Knowing how to calculate PPE can help you choose the best light source for your growth. By comparing different lights based on their PPE values, you can be sure that you’re getting the most out of your garden. If you're having a bit of trouble being able to identify what you need, take a look at how Flora Flex can help.
Indoor Tips?
When growing plants indoors, it’s important to use lighting sources with high PPE ratings, since this will ensure that your plants are receiving an adequate amount of PAR light. In general, the higher the PPE of a light source, the more efficient it will be at promoting photosynthesis. This means that you can use less powerful lights while still achieving optimal growth results.
LED grow lights with a PPE rating of ≥600umol/s/W are ideal for cannabis cultivation, while fluorescent lamps have a PPE rating of only 50-100umol/s/W.
The Benefits of High PPE Products
There are many benefits to using high PPE and different lighting products in your garden. First, plants grown under high PPE lighting will be healthier and more robust than those grown under traditional lighting sources.
Additionally, high PPE bulbs use less energy overall, meaning you'll save electricity while still providing your plants with all the light they need to thrive.
Perhaps most importantly, high PPE products help to reduce the amount of heat produced by lighting fixtures. This is critical in warm climates, where excessive heat can damage your plant and impede its growth. By using a high PPE product, you can keep your supply healthy and thriving all year round, regardless of the weather conditions.
Contact us today to help offset your investment by up to 50% with a local energy company rebate on FloraFlex high PPE LED's.
What if You Don’t Have the Right Equipment?
When looking for lighting for hemp or lighting for cannabis, you must have the right type of lighting for your grow setup. So here's the thing, if you want your cannabis to grow as it should, you should know that the plants need different stages of light to thrive.
Simply putting it, you need to be able to achieve production of the proper mix of blue, red, and other preferred wavelengths for your specific strain. Think about this, during the flowering stage, red light is necessary to induce budding and flowering of the plant.
Getting a stronger red light isn't uncommon after the flowering stage. When you mix the two colors of light, you'll often experience that you get the best response from your plant.
The consequences of using the wrong lights can be dire for your plants, and could even mean a total loss of yield at harvest time. Cannabis is a plant that reacts to different colors of light in a strong way. Humans see color differently than plants do, so that's why people opt for growing outdoors or for using lighting as close to replicating sunlight as possible.
More On Lighting Differences
The thing is though, although cannabis plants would have access to an unlimited amount of terpene from sun growth that they can't get inside, not everyone has the time or space for an outdoor operation. When growing cannabis inside, it'll need exposure to all kinds of light to grow properly.
From blue and ultraviolet rays during the vegetative stage to red and infrared rays during flowering. This is a great way to naturally reduce the flowering stage and increase the chance for a more quick turnover of your crops.
Using the wrong kind of light can throw off your plants' growth cycle and cause them to produce fewer buds or no buds at all. In some cases, it can even lead to the death of your plants.
Try These Tips
When it comes to photosynthetic photon efficacy, there are a few things you need to know to get the best results. Here are a few tips:
- Make sure you use products that have a high PPE rating. This will ensure that your plants receive the most light possible.
- Pay attention to the size of your grow area. You want to choose a product that is appropriate for your space so that you don't waste any light.
- Place lamps as close to the plants as possible. The closer the light is to the plants, the more efficient it will be at providing photons for photosynthesis but evaluate the plants often.
- Use a light timer to control the amount of light your plants receive. By regulating the amount of light, you can ensure that your plants are getting the right amount for optimal growth.
- Don't forget about reflectivity! Make sure you have a reflective surface behind your plants so that they can make use of all the light that's emitted.
There are a variety of factors that influence PPE, including climate, strain type, age of the plant, and growing conditions. It is important to consider all these factors when choosing lamps and fixtures for your grow operation.
Get What You Need
Now that we know more about Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy, you should have a better idea about what suits your growing needs the most. Using high PPE products is one of the best ways to get the most from your cannabis and hemp cultivation efforts. With a little bit of experimentation, you should be able to find the right products and settings for your grow area.
Keep in mind that using LEDs with high photon efficacy ratings, will also help to conserve energy since they consume less electricity than other types of grow lights. Ready to take your growing workflow to a new level? Visit us today.
