Light: Shaping Plant Life
Photomorphogenesis matters in CEA
Light is more than just energy for photosynthesis, it’s one of the most powerful developmental cues in the plant kingdom. From the moment a seed germinates, light begins to influence its shape, size, structure, and productivity through a process known as photomorphogenesis: the way plants grow in response to light quality, intensity, and duration.
Seeing the invisible: How plants read light
Unlike us, plants “see” the world not through eyes, but through specialised photoreceptors that detect different wavelengths of light. These receptors interpret the light spectrum, from blue to red to far-red, as signals about their environment and respond accordingly.
Red light stimulates leaf expansion, flowering, and stem development.
Blue light supports compact growth, strong stems, and the opening of stomata for gas exchange.
Far-red light, often associated with shade, triggers elongation as part of the plant’s “shade avoidance” response helping it grow taller to outcompete neighbouring plants.
This interplay of light and response helps plants adapt to their surroundings. But in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), we can use this knowledge to do more than adapt, we can effectively orchestrate growth.
Precision control with Advanced Aeroponics™
At LettUs Grow, our Advanced Aeroponics™ technology gives growers fine-grained control over all growing variables including light. By combining our precision irrigation systems with programmable lighting setups, we can create custom recipes for growth based on the photomorphogenic responses of each crop.
Whether it’s encouraging compact herbs, fast-tracking propagation, or fine-tuning the balance between vegetative and reproductive phases, we work with our customers to match light strategies to crop goals. For example:
Compact, leafy greens: Emphasise blue and red light to encourage sturdy, uniform growth.
Elongated herbs or vertical stacking: Use selective far-red to increase internode spacing.
Flowering crops: Tailor red-to-blue ratios and photoperiod to encourage yield and flavour.
A toolkit for the future of farming
As climate pressures and land constraints increase, CEA systems must become more productive, more resource-efficient, and more responsive to crop needs. Light is one of the most powerful tools we have to shape not just plant health, but the business case for sustainable food production.
At LettUs Grow, we’re not just building better infrastructure. We’re helping growers harness the science of light to grow smarter, more resilient crops whatever the conditions outside.