LED vs HPS grow lights: research into medicinal cannabis
Research by Wageningen University & Research shows that LED grow lights play an important role in the cultivation of medicinal cannabis. Compared to traditional HPS lamps, LED lighting can lead to higher yields and better quality of active compounds.
This makes the research particularly significant, as medicinal cannabis places high demands on growing conditions, light quality, and consistency.
🔬 Research into medicinal cannabis and lighting
Greenhouse horticulture experts from Wageningen University & Research have investigated how different light sources affect the growth and quality of medicinal cannabis.
This included looking at the concentration of active substances such as:
- Cannabidiol (CBD)
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
👉 These substances are crucial for the medicinal effect of the plant.
💡 Research setup
The study compared two types of lighting:
- SON-T (HPS) lamps
- Water-cooled LED grow lights
In addition, different light intensities were tested:
- 250 µmol/m²/s
- 400 µmol/m²/s
📊 Research results
The results show that LED lighting offers clear advantages in the cultivation of medicinal cannabis:
- Higher yield at higher light intensity
- Increased concentration of active substances (CBD and THC)
- Better control over growing conditions
👉 Especially at a light intensity of 400 µmol/m²/s, a significantly higher yield was achieved.
🌱 What does this mean for grow lights?
Although this research focuses on medicinal cannabis, the insights are more broadly applicable. LED grow lights offer advantages for various crops thanks to their efficiency and control over the light spectrum.
👉 Also read more about the light spectrum for plants.
💡 Why LED grow lights?
- Higher efficiency per watt
- Lower heat development
- Optimal adjustment of light spectrum
- Suitable for intensive cultivation
👉 View our range of LED grow lights.
✅ Conclusion
- LED grow lighting delivers better results than HPS for medicinal cannabis
- Higher light intensity increases yield and quality
- Research confirms the power of modern LED technology
- The results are also relevant for other crops
Source: Wageningen University & Research (WUR)