Spectrum Science Expertise

Choosing the right spectrum can make all the difference in the quality of your crop

Ask us about our Spectrums

The Kroptek Spectrum library

Let us help you choose the right spectrum for your application

With our team cumulating decades of expertise in LED lights engineering and plant biology research, we offer proven-performance light recipes.

Our spectrums optimise the development and maximise the yield of a large variety of crops, at all stages of their growth cycle.

Kroptek’s approach is to refine our spectrums from regular feedback from commercial growers as well as in-house trials and university-led research.

Multiple trials on a variety of plant types during different growth phases have allowed us to collect the data needed to fine-tune a series of 5 spectra, based on the most common horticultural needs.

We have also developed fully customised spectrum options to suit the individual needs of growers.

Kroptek has also developed spectrums that incorporate UV-A and UV-B light.

Kroptek Spectrum Examples

Spectrum KP04

This spectrum is an excellent all-rounder that has been proven to exceed HPS plant growth in a like-for-like setup.

Our KP04 is a white light and an excellent choice for green crops in particular.

A high CRI (Colour Rendering Index) means that the colour you see in an indoor environment is the same colour you would see outdoors in the sun, it also makes for a pleasant working environment for growers.

Spectrum KP08

A very popular spectrum that particularly excels with flowering or fruiting crops and applications where pigmentation is sought.

The red boost simulates the red hues of the sky in the warmer spring and summer months.

The KP08 is a white light that works in indoor environments as well as for supplementary applications.

Spectrum KP01

A higher-blue spectrum, ideal for the vegetative growth stage of any plant species.

Creates increased root growth, biomass, strong cellular growth in the leaf and a deep green colour.

Ideal for early stages of plant growth in an indoor grow room. Has also been successfully been used for grafting applications.

Spectrum KP02

This is a high-red, mid-blue spectrum that is used for the blooming stage of a plant and the second stage of the plant’s growth.

It will create fast growth, stretching and quick flower and fruit formation.

 

Spectrum KP03

This is our version of the purple light that LED growrooms have come to be known for in the past 2 decades.

Red light is blended with some blue to create the color purple. This light was traditionally used for cost reasons before white LED became commercially viable for horticulture applications.

Purple light can be an excellent choice for a variety of applications mostly as a supplement to sunlight in greenhouses. This spectrum works very well in hybrid solutions when installed alongside HPS lights to boost flowering or fruiting speed, such as for tomatoes, strawberries and cut-flower glasshouses.

 

White Light expertise

Until recently, White LEDs were prohibitively expensive, and the industry got used to purple lights. Not anymore.

Broad-spectrum results in higher nutrient absorption and contributes to more flavourful and tasty edible plants

To develop this spectrum we have integrated the outcome of studies and trials on PAR and light frequencies falling outside of PAR such as Far Red and UV.

Photosynthesis goes beyond vital chlorophyll pigments and involves other chemicals like Carotene, Xanthophyll, or Anthocyanins.

Those lesser-known pigments absorb green light and protect plants from free radical damage.

Green wavelengths in particular penetrate dense canopy crops to reach the lower leaf layers especially for crops with an overlapping or folded leaf structure.

 

LED Lights and Plant science
in commercial applications

For almost a century the horticulture industry worked with the traditional High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights which mostly emit light particles around the yellow band.

Towards the end of the century, we witnessed the ubiquity of LED lights replacing traditional lightbulbs in domestic and commercial spaces, driven by significantly lower prices thanks to advances in the lighting manufacturing industry.

LED lights use significantly less energy than traditional lights making them an environmentally friendly alternative. They also last much longer, with a 5-year warranty as the industry standard, compared to HPS bulbs that need to be replaced and disposed of frequently.

For the horticulture industry, LED lights have proven to be of particular interest firstly because the spectrums could be easily manipulated, enabling a revolution in plant science with new research on the effects of colors on plant development, morphology, health, and organoleptic properties.

Further, LED lights enabled vertical farming thanks to their significantly higher efficiencies compared to HPS lights which wasted most of the electricity it consumed into heat. LED Lights can be placed very close to the plant without burning them and in ways that maximise light uniformity across large grow spaces.

With LED lights finally becoming commercially viable, the trend of the last two decades points to a gradual conversion from HPS lights to purple LED lights to a variety of spectrums that are optimal for specific applications.

 

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