After success on the Growing front with the creation of LED lights developed for vegetables, small fruits and micro greens, Cefla has, via Group company C-LED, once again joined forces with the University of Bologna. This time we’ll be engaging in research that aims to boost technology and innovation within the fast-expanding lighting sector by taking developments in agricultural engineering and ornamental plant growing know-how into account.
This initiative sees the C-Led working in partnership with the Agricultural Engineering and Bio-systems course at the Department of agroindustrial science and technology of the University of Bologna. The project aims to expand usage of LED lamps in agriculture (especially the vegetable, flower and nursery crops sector); the goal is to reduce environmental impact and expand the sector significantly by overcoming the restrictions posed by the seasons to offer markets high quality products all year round.
The research is being carried out in the greenhouses and labs of the Imola-based section of the University of Bologna, which, within the multi-campus Unibo network, is known for its focus on two cornerstones of sustainability, safety and the environment. This research also strengthens the relationship between the University and the local manufacturing and institutional frameworks.
The experimentation was performed on popular ornamental plants, such as the common yet imprecisely named “geranium” (Pelargonium zonale) and surfinia, an equally common variety of cascading petunia (Petunia cv Surfinia). Initial results show considerable differences between the different cultivars that underwent the procedure, especially in flowering and overall growth, with evident advantages for plants exposed to the LED lights designed and developed by C-LED technicians.
