A prerequisite for growing plants is enough light. But what is its significance for the representatives of the flora?
The Importance of Light for Plants
Light is involved in photosynthesis. In this process, due to photochemical reactions from water and carbon dioxide in the light with the participation of chlorophyll, organic substances are formed. They allow the plant to grow, then bloom and give fruit.
What light is better for plants?
In different plants, the needs for light differ, which is explained by the origin and habitat conditions in their homeland. Based on the kind of light plants need, representatives of the fauna are divided into:
- shadow-tolerant;
- photophilous;
- plants of moderate illumination.
Of course, some plants have enough natural light of medium brightness. But there are also houseplants, unpretentious to light:
- ferns ;
- ivy;
- aglaonema;
- dracaena;
- the arrowroot;
- ficus creeping;
- philodendron ;
- cyclomen European.
A lot of room "residents" come from arid regions, where the light-day lasts up to 16 hours, so they need artificial lighting. Electric lamps are used as additional light for indoor plants. But the light is non-uniform, since its rays have different wavelengths. But the correctly selected spectrum of light for plants is also important: they are useful for red, orange, blue and violet rays. Let's consider variants of artificial illumination proceeding from a light spectrum:
- The incandescent lamps emit red-yellow rays, are inefficient and uneconomical.
- Fluorescent lamps are available in different versions of the spectrum: red and blue. They are efficient, economical and reliable.
- Metal halide lamps work in the blue spectrum.
- Gas-discharge (arc) lamps, which work from sodium vapor or metal halide gas, are effective, powerful and economical, have a different spectrum of illumination.
- Mercury lamps emit violet and blue spectrum.
- The high-pressure sodium lamps are highly efficient, they emit yellow light.
- LED lamps are economically advantageous.