Grow Better Strawberries with the Right LED Spectrum
STRAWBERRY
7/2/20252 min read
Reducing red light proportion in full-spectrum LEDs enhances runner plant propagation by promoting the growth and development of mother plants in strawberry
If you grow strawberries indoors or in a greenhouse, your choice of LED lighting matters. Recent scientific research has shown that using full-spectrum LEDs (white light, including a small proportion of red)โrather than just red and blue lightโcan give you more runner plants, healthier growth, and better use of your energy costs.
What the Research Found
Full-spectrum (white) LEDs with a small proportion of red are best: Strawberry mother plants under these LEDs produced more runners and bigger plants compared to red-and-blue-only lights and red-enriched white lights.
Too much red light is not helpful: If your LED setup uses a high percentage of red light, it can actually slow leaf growth and reduce the overall number of runners.
Adding green light helps: Green light in your lighting mix allows plants to capture more light, grow heavier, and adapt better by developing larger leaves.
What This Means for Your Farm
Full-spectrum LEDs helps strawberries turn light into growth more efficiently.
Green light, often overlooked, encourages the plant to grow wider leaves, capturing extra light even in dense plantings.
With the right spectral mix, you get more runners, stronger plants, and better use of your lighting investment.
Take Action:
Choose full-spectrum LEDs (with a small fraction of red) for propagation benches and young plants.
Balance your spectrumโavoid using mostly red; add some blue and green for stronger plants and more runners.
Monitor plant response as you adjust your light: look for faster runner formation and healthy, sturdy leaves.
Important note: These results are based on studies done with the strawberry cultivar โAkihime.โ Other cultivars may respond differently, so itโs best to monitor your plants and adjust your lighting for the best results.
Switching to a better-balanced LED spectrum could mean bigger yields and lower energy bills this season. Give it a try with your own cultivar and see the results for yourself.
Source
Chen et al. (2024). โReducing red light proportion in full-spectrum LEDs enhances runner plant propagation by promoting the growth and development of mother plants in strawberryโ
Front. Plant Sci., 07 October 2024
