ADSOL is a Quebec-based company that specializes in lighting products for horticulture and surface disinfection using LED technology. They design, manufacture, market and install LED lights that are customized for various types of plants and projects.
The advent of LED technology in horticulture has sparked considerable growth in the field of controlled environment agriculture (greenhouses or growth chambers). Although the LED lights that were available a little over a decade ago were basic and costly, the rapid progression of this technology has made them more affordable and opened the door to a multitude of applications. They are now used as an alternative to more energy-intensive types of lighting (ex.: HPS, metal halide, etc.) in horticultural operations, significantly improving producers’ energy efficiency.
ADSOL has designed various types of horticultural lights using LED technology. Some of these were specifically designed for horticulture; other, more advanced lights also provide phytosanitary control for plant production. Biopterre teamed up with ADSOL to assess the antifungal capacity of selected ADSOL lights to control four common fungal diseases in horticultural operations.
Trials carried out in Biopterre’s labs revealed that the light prototypes have varying effects depending on the type of pathogen targeted. For example, under certain conditions, one type of light eradicated Botrytis cinerea, a common fungal disease in indoor cultivation systems. Other prototypes slowed or halted the development of fungal diseases without eradicating them altogether. The effect of the lights on the development of certain plant pathogens could decrease the need for pesticides during production. Additionally, the use of these lights for horticultural and phytosanitary applications represents a novel approach to crop management in greenhouses and growth chambers. Horticultural producers and the controlled environment agrifood industry can benefit immensely from higher crop quality and yield, better energy efficiency and lower pesticide use. These breakthroughs pave the way for future innovations in this field.
ADSOL does not sell LED lights, rather, they develop a technology based on them. Their lighting systems produce synergetic combinations of various wavelengths of light. For instance, they also develop systems allowing the reproduction of black soldier flies. Like phytosanitary lights, these flies are used in the field of biological control. The company will continue to develop custom cutting edge systems like the above-mentioned solutions to meet the precise needs of clients across multiple sectors.
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