Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH of Regensburg, Germany is expanding its product range for horticultural lighting with a new type of its Oslon SSL LED.
In addition to the existing hyper red (660nm) and deep blue (450nm) versions, firm has developed a far-red Oslon SSL LED with a wavelength of 730nm. For certain plants such as tomatoes, pepper or roses, it is exactly this wavelength that leads to better growth. Customers now have better coverage of the color spectrum for their horticulture applications, says Osram. The new far-red Oslon SSL has been available since January.
The new ultra-compact Oslon SSL (3mm x 3mm x 2.35mm) is available in two product versions with a narrow beam angle of 80° and 150°. The LEDs can hence be arranged close to each other and offer a uniform light impression. All Oslon SSL versions can be combined easily, says Osram, because they have the same size of footprint and solder pad as well as the same technical characteristics. This offers high design flexibility for ambitious horticultural lighting applications, where each greenhouse lighting system needs a tailored-made solution, adds the firm.
LED lighting can stimulate plant growth by up to 40%. Different wavelengths address different plant properties: blue light supports flowers to open up and red light helps stems to grow better. Thus, a combination of the three existing versions of the Oslon SSL LED family - far red (730nm), hyper red (660nm) and deep blue (450nm) - provides better coverage of the color spectrum and an optimal growth pattern, says Osram. With this range of three colors, a large variety of plants can be addressed.
There are several general benefits of LEDs for use in horticultural lighting, notes the firm. Because of the single LEDs, the lighting can easily be steered and controlled in the greenhouses. LEDs have a longer lifetime than other lighting technologies, and they are very energy-efficient and thus drastically reduce energy consumption over time. They also emit no heat in the lighting direction, so the plants will not be damaged. Furthermore, LEDs are available in different wavelengths, so lighting solutions can be adjusted exactly to the value that the respective plant needs.
