Nakuba ukukhanya kwe-LED kungathuthukisa ukukhula kwezitshalo ezindlini zokugcina izithombo, izindinganiso ziyadingeka ukuze kutholwe ubukhulu obufanele nemibala yokukhanya, ngokusho kocwaningo lukaRutgers olungasiza ukuthuthukisa ukusebenza kahle kwamandla kwemikhiqizo yokukhanyisa kwe-horticultural.
Izinkampani eziningi ezikhanyisayo zimaketha imikhiqizo yazo ye-LED (light-emitting diode) ngezimangalo zokuletha “iresiphi ekhanyayo” efanelekile evame ukuhlanganisa inhlanganisela yamaza wamaza nezilinganiso zombala, njenge-4-to-1 ebomvu ne-blue ratio ku-spectrum. (imibala yothingo). Ososayensi bezitshalo bavame ukusebenzisa lolu lwazi ukuze bahlole imiphumela engaba khona yezibani ekukhuleni nasekuthuthukeni kwezitshalo. Kodwa izinqubo ezimisiwe zendlela yokubala lezi zilinganiso azikho, ngokocwaningo oluzoshicilelwa maduze kujenali i-Acta Horticulturae.
"Imithombo yokukhanyisa eyengeziwe esebenza ngempumelelo, abalimi bamandla kagesi abancane kudingeka baqedele izitshalo zabo," kusho umbhali ophezulu. AJ Bobabili, uprofesa kanye nochwepheshe besandiso kubunjiniyela bendawo elawulwayo ku UMnyango Wezesayensi Yezemvelo ku Isikole Sezemvelo Nesayensi Yezinto Eziphilayo at I-Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "Sithemba ukuthi sizosiza ukwenza ukukhiqizwa kwezitshalo zasendlini kuqhubeke futhi kufinyeleleke."
Ukwenyuka kokusebenza kahle kwamandla kungaba nomthelela omkhulu emqondweni, futhi ulwazi mayelana namasu amasha okukhanyisa izitshalo kuzosiza imboni yokulima yasendlini ekhulayo, Bobabili basho.
Ezindaweni zokugcina izithombo nasezindaweni ezilawulwayo, izibani zikagesi zisetshenziselwa ukwengeza ukukhanya kwelanga nokwelula izikhathi zokukhanyisa ukuze kukhiqizwe izitshalo ze-horticultural, njengemifino, izimbali namakhambi, ngokusho kwe ucwaningo lwangaphambilini oluholwa Bobabili. Intuthuko yakamuva kubuchwepheshe be-LED obusebenza kahle bunikeza imboni yezokulima ngezinketho eziningi zokukhanyisa. Kodwa abalimi abakwazi ukuqhathanisa kalula ubuchwepheshe nezinketho ze-LED ngenxa yokuntuleka kwedatha ezimele yokuthi izibani zisebenza kanjani. Lolo cwaningo luholele kulebula yomkhiqizo omisiwe ehlongozwayo evumela ukuqhathaniswa kwezibani kubo bonke abakhiqizi.
Bobabili nozakwethu bayaqhubeka nokugxila ekuhloleni ngokuzimela amamethrikhi okusebenza afana nokusetshenziswa kwamandla, ukusebenza kahle, amandla okukhanya kanye nephethini yokusabalalisa ukukhanya nokudlulisela lolo lwazi kubatshali bezentengiselwano. Intuthuko yakamuva inikeze amathuba okulawula ngokunembile ukukhanya okuvela kumalambu e-LED nokufunda imithelela yawo ekukhuleni nasekuthuthukeni kwezitshalo, ngokocwaningo lwabo Bobabili. Bobabili nethimba lakhe basebenzisana eduze nososayensi bezitshalo abatadisha umthelela wokukhanya ezitshalweni ezitshalwe ukudla noma izitshalo zokuhlobisa.
Ucwaningo olusha luncoma ukusebenzisa i-spectroradiometer, ithuluzi elikala ukuphuma kokukhanya kububanzi obuthile bamaza. Ngokusebenzisa ithuluzi elinjalo, izilinganiso zokukhanya ezihlukahlukene zingabalwa. Abacwaningi babike umehluko omkhulu ekulinganiseni kokukhanya okuqhathanisa ukukhanya kwelanga nezibani ezivamile, okuhlanganisa i-LED, izibani ezinomfutho ophezulu we-sodium, i-incandescent kanye nezibani ze-fluorescent ezisetshenziselwa ukukhanyisa izitshalo. Abacwaningi banethemba lokuthi umsebenzi wabo uzoba nomthelela ekuthuthukisweni kwezincazelo ezijwayelekile zamagagasi athile (ububanzi bamaza amaza) abalulekile ekukhuleni nasekuthuthukisweni kwezitshalo.
Umbhali oholayo wocwaningo olusha nguTimothy Shelford, uchwepheshe wocwaningo lwetoho e-Rutgers naye osebenza e-Cornell University. UClaude Wallace, othweswe iziqu eRutgers futhi osebenza itoho, naye waba nesandla ocwaningweni.Izibani ze-LED ezimhlophe zisetshenziselwa ukuthuthukisa ukukhiqizwa kwe-basil ku-greenhouse.Isithombe: AJ Both/Rutgers University-New Brunswick