URBAN BARNS FOODS INC. Urban Barns Foods Inc. provided its shareholders with an update on its research and development (R&D) activities at McGill University. The Biomass Production Laboratory at McGill University, with support from Urban Barns, is paving the way for research in urban agriculture. Recent innovations with Light Emitting Diodes (LED) as a plant energy source, has brought about this new area of research.
LED lighting systems have the capability to control wavelengths emitted. This allows for research on the impact of different spectral wavelength combinations on plant growth and development. Compared to conventional lighting techniques when growing tomatoes, an arrangement of red and blue lights has proven to increase growth, improve morphology, and suppress plant pathogens.
Research at Macdonald Campus Bioresource Engineering Department has published numerous LED scientific papers, putting the department at the forefront of this quickly evolving industry. This research has observed the concentration of -carotene and other phytochemicals in the growth cycle of plants, and how plant production of these antioxidants may be increased using LEDs. Specifically, the research has been focused on the impact of red, blue and amber LEDs to increase production and nutritional values.
