At the University of Guelph, in the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility (CESRF), researchers have been investigating controlled-environment plant production and how best to get the most out of plants in terms of food, oxygen, fresh water and carbon dioxide scrubbing, in simpler terms human life support which will sustain them for decades. Since the mid-1990s, they have been home to the Space and Advanced Life Support Agriculture (SALSA) program.
The most recent development in the research has been the implementation of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a source of photosynthetic energy for high-density production of a variety of crops. Basically, the research is meant to perfect and refine LED technology. With the advent of increase in efficiency and intensity of LEDs their application has certainly expanded. LEDs are being used as a sole-source along with being supplemental source for lighting plants.
LEDs have one of a kind, narrow wave band of light that represents a small sub-section of the solar spectrum. There are many examples of LEDs that virtually fill the spectrum of visible light and beyond to include ultraviolet bands and far-red to infra-red components. Therefore, with new features of LED lights, it is evident to improve upon the sun in the production of range of plant commodities.
