How Colored Lights Affect Plant Growth
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Colored lights affect plant growth due to the role of light in photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use light energy to create glucose for food from carbon dioxide and the hydrogen in water. To use the light energy, whether it is from the sun or artificial lights, it must be absorbed by pigments in the plant. Different pigments absorb different colors of light, which are then used to encourage different types of growth within the plant.
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The most prevalent pigment in plants is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll comes in varieties labeled a through e, each of which absorbs a different color of light. Chlorophyll a, for example, absorbs light in the spectrum of violet, blue, orange, and red. Green light is bounced back from the plant, resulting in the green color that is characteristic of a plant using photosynthesis to create food. Once the light has been absorbed by the pigments, it is converted into adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. ATP is a chemical that stores the light's energy until it is used in the light-independent phase of photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen into glucose.
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Each color of light offers different growth benefits to plants. Since very little green light is absorbed, it is ineffective in encouraging plant growth. Red- and blue-colored lights, however, are most beneficial to plant growth, but each is helpful to a different part of the plant. Blue light encourages plant growth, including the growth of leaves. For this reason, artificial florescent lights that are blue-tinged are popular for horticulturists trying to encourage lush growth. When red light is added to the blue light, the plant's ability to flower is improved. Excessive amounts of red and orange in the light tend to be too hot, but a careful mixture of red and blue light can be beneficial to plants.
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