The Yifang Plant Lighting Measurement Instrument is launched with a bang! Double 11 Special Offers are here

The scene shown in the above image took place at the training site of the recently concluded "Modern Agricultural Lighting Principles and Technical Equipment Training Class - Wuxi Station". Dare we ask, have you ever seen such an explosive scene in a lighting industry training? So, here's the question. What are they all watching? What exactly has aroused such great interest among everyone? Now let our editor help clarify.

In recent years, with the rapid development of facility agriculture, there has been increasing research on plant lighting. Since plant growth has certain requirements for the optical parameters of the light environment, corresponding measurement techniques and instruments are needed to accurately measure whether the optical parameters of the light environment meet the growth needs of the corresponding plants, in order to select suitable light sources.

Chen Wencheng, Vice Chairman of the Agricultural Lighting Committee and Senior Application Technology Manager at Osram Opto Semiconductors (China) Co., Ltd., pointed out during the training that evaluating plant lighting cannot be simply described using photometric quantities such as lm/W or lx; it is generally more appropriate to use Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD, in units of mol/㎡·s). In fact, this view has been widely accepted by the industry. Since completing one photosynthesis typically requires 8–10 photons, using PPFD to evaluate the effective radiation for photosynthesis yields results that align well with actual photobiological effects. Of course, light quality, light uniformity, and other factors are also key considerations in plant lighting.

(Ideal Photon Sensor and Typical Plant Spectral Response Curve)

Measurement Technology Based on the Spectral Method

Currently, all photometric quantities such as total luminous flux (lm), illuminance (lx), luminance (cd/㎡), etc. are based on the spectral sensitivity curve of the human eye. However, since plants and the human eye have different spectral response characteristics, it is in practice very difficult to achieve perfect spectral matching, which significantly affects measurement accuracy. Therefore, such instruments are not suitable for evaluating photosynthetically active radiation of plants.

With the development of spectral technology, measurement techniques and equipment based on the spectral method are becoming increasingly mature and are gradually being applied to the field of plant lighting inspection. By measuring the absolute spectral values of plant lighting products and performing corresponding conversions, value conversion among the four major measurement systems—the radiometric system, photometric system, photon system, and plant photometric system—can be achieved without any mismatch issues.

Everfine has recently launched a professional instrument for plant lighting measurement—the PLA-20 Plant Lighting Analyzer, which is based on the spectroscopic method. In addition to measuring general parameters such as illuminance, irradiance, chromaticity coordinates, color temperature, and color rendering index, the analyzer can also accurately obtain parameters including photosynthetic photon flux density, photosynthetic irradiance, chlorophyll A/B weighted irradiance, and far-red irradiance. It can be widely applied to on-site monitoring of optical radiation during plant growth in plant factories, hydroponic cultivation, greenhouses, and other settings.

(Parameters measurable by the PLA-20 Plant Lighting Analyzer; the red-highlighted items are parameters specifically set for plant lighting.)

Main Technical Specifications

Spectral range: 350nm–800nm

Wavelength accuracy: ±0.5nm

Illuminance measurement range: 10lx～200klx

For on-site measurements requiring high precision, a compact and fast measurement instrument is needed for easy portability and real-time ground-level data reading. The PLA-20 analyzer features a 4.2-inch touchscreen and a compact design. It can be used integrated with the host or separately, completing on-site measurement and analysis in one step, truly achieving real-time data reading with millisecond-level accurate measurement.

Built-in large-capacity SD memory card, intelligent operating system and other modern technologies enable high-speed WIFI and Bluetooth transmission. The probe can be wirelessly networked or networked via USB. Various parameters can be displayed on smartphones and computers via the smartphone APP, and data can be output in multiple formats such as Excel and JPG.

Spectrum measurement results of a plant lamp

As Chen Wencheng and the participants at the training venue mentioned, instruments for measuring PPFD are still rare on the market, prices are high, and supporting design software is lacking. What should be done? The advent of the PLA-20 Plant Lighting Dedicated Analyzer puts an end to the worries of those who are still troubled by this problem.

While red envelopes fly through the air and promotions dazzle the eye during the Double Eleven festival, China Light Network refuses to be left out. Joining forces with Everfine, we proudly present the PLA-20 Plant Lighting Dedicated Analyzer to all those in need of plant lighting measurement—at the most favorable terms and fairest prices ever offered. On the one hand, this is our way of giving back to everyone who has followed China Light Network over the years; on the other, it is our humble contribution to advancing the agricultural semiconductor lighting industry.

The promotion runs from November 11 to November 20, with limited quantities available. Pre-order now! Act fast—trust our editor; you'll regret it if you don't buy.

For details on the instrument and specific promotional pricing, please call us for consultation.