Learn how light abatement curtains can be used and their effect on the greenhouse environment. This technical information is for commercial greenhouse operators.
Introduction
Ontario greenhouse producers use supplemental lighting to:
- grow vegetables and fruits in winter
- boost production in the summer
- control flowering in ornamental and medicinal plants
They also use light abatement and blackout curtains to reduce night-time light emissions associated with supplemental lighting. This is in part in response to bylaws enacted by a number of municipalities across the province that regulate greenhouse light emissions.
“Managing night-time greenhouse light emissions,” written by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), outlines some of the research conducted by research institutions in the province to study the amount of light emitted by Ontario greenhouses using supplemental lighting at night-time.
It concludes that greenhouse light emissions were associated with:
- light intensity
- gapping of light abatement curtains
- the amount of vegetation in the growing space
It also recognized that the use of light management curtains can impact the climate in the greenhouse, which in turn can negatively impact plant growth and yield. Therefore, it was identified as important to research production practices and technologies that can address potential humidity and temperature concerns.
The information on this page details the results from recent research projects that investigated the effect of light abatement curtains on the greenhouse environment.