Greenhouse Management presents Lighting Virtual Conference on Aug. 9

Greenhouse Management is hosting its inaugural Lighting Virtual Conference, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 9.

The conference covers light management, which has been a hot topic at recent industry trade shows as growers see the advantages of optimizing their lighting. Presentations given by knowledgeable, well-respected university professors will help greenhouse growers ensure a successful crop by understanding and managing the light their plants receive. 

“We’re excited to bring this virtual conference to Cannabis Business Times readers as well, since much of the science behind lighting used in mainstream agriculture can be applied to or adapted for cannabis,” said Jim Gilbride, group publisher of GIE Media’s Horticulture Group, which includes Cannabis Business Times and Greenhouse Management, among others. “Especially with the lack of significant university-based research into cannabis cultivation, the show presents a great opportunity to learn from the academic world about advancements in lighting optimization and technologies.”

The conference kicks off at 10 a.m. with BLV’s Sponsor Presentation, “The Interaction of Light, Temperature and Humidity.” From 10:10 a.m. to 11:10 a.m., Dr. Christopher J. Currey, Ph.D., of Iowa State University will present “A Greenhouse Lighting Primer: What, When and How,” focusing on the basics of lighting and the options available.

Kelli Rodda, editor of Greenhouse Management’s sister publication, Nursery Management, said Dr. Currey of Iowa State University will help growers understand the differences between the types of lighting, as well as determine how much light is needed in the greenhouse.

“Light is critical to proper plant growth, and optimum light helps growers produce an improved plant with benefits such as more branching and uniformity,” Rodda said. “Proper light levels may also shave time off the production schedule of certain crops. And lighting is important during all stages of production. Therefore, growers must carefully approach lighting needs and changes. That’s why Greenhouse Management has partnered with the leading university researchers and lighting companies to bring you the Virtual Lighting Conference.”

Dr. Currey’s research program focuses on improving environmental and cultural management to enhance crop growth and productivity. He is an Assistant Professor of Horticulture, teaching courses on greenhouse management, fall and spring floriculture production and hydroponic food crop production. Currey received his B.S. in Environmental Horticulture and M.S. in Applied Plant Science from the University of Minnesota and his Ph.D. in Horticulture from Purdue University.

At 11:10 a.m., PARSource will begin its Sponsor Presentation, followed by Michigan State University’s Dr. Roberto Lopez’s “Shedding the Light on Crop-Specific Daily Light Integral Requirements” presentation at 11:20 a.m. Lopez will discuss how the cumulative amount of light a plant receives over the course of a day or daily light integral (DLI) affects growth, yield and quality of greenhouse crops, as well as crop-specific DLI requirements.

Dr. Lopez of Michigan State University has conducted years of research to determine crop-specific DLI requirements, according to Rodda, and the primary objective of this research is to determine how the quantity, quality and duration of light; substrate and air temperature; and carbon dioxide in controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) production influences crop timing, rooting, yield, quantity, flavor, nutrition and subsequent performance. Dr. Lopez is an assistant professor and controlled environment/floriculture extension specialist with a 45% research, 30% teaching and 25% extension appointment in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University. As mentioned on the conference website, his research focuses on propagation and production of young and finished plants in greenhouses, growth rooms/containers, warehouse-based plant factories and vertical farms.

Heliospectra’s Sponsor Presentation will take place from 12:20 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by “The Economics of Supplemental Lighting,” a presentation by North Carolina State University’s Dr. Ricardo Hernandez that walks growers through estimating the cost of running supplemental lighting and determining in which situations it makes the most financial sense.

Dr. Hernandez addresses the economics of supplemental lighting, Rodda said, helping attendees determine if adding supplemental lighting to a greenhouse operation is economically feasible, including how to estimate the cost. His program focuses on Horticulture Sustainable Energy, and he has three main areas of research: light-plant interactions: light environment manipulation to improve plant production; Life-Cycle-Assessment (LCA) of horticultural production systems to increase energy conservation strategies; and sustainable and organic horticultural production of specialty crops under controlled environment. Dr. Hernandez earned an undergraduate degree in Agronomy from New Mexico State University, Masters of Science in Entomology (greenhouse biocontrol) from Texas A&M University, and Doctorate degree in Plant Physiology and Ag & Biosystems Engineering from the University of Arizona. He is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University in the Department of Horticultural Sciences.

Attendees can register for the Lighting Virtual Conference for $49, and each registered attendee will receive a link to an online copy of the webinar. Participants new to virtual conferences can expect webinar-style presentations. Sessions are accessible via computer, and attendees can view any and all presentations live or at a later time.