Photosynthesis, a superpower of plants, enables them to produce food from scratch. All they require is some water and carbon dioxide. The plant requires some energy, which it obtains from the sun, to power this cooking process.

Sadly, not all areas of the world experience year-round brilliant sunlight. The sun is only visible for less than 8 hours a day in the Earth's poles, in places like Antarctica and Iceland in the south and Iceland and Finland in the north.


In addition to seasonal changes, cities with their concrete jungles present challenges for indoor plants. Many homes can be darkened by skyscrapers and high-rise structures. What therefore should those of us who garden but also live in cities do?


Therefore, of course, turn on the lights!


What is required for plant growth?


The assertion that plants must receive sunlight in order to photosynthesis is incorrect. Greek roots give the word photosynthesis its meanings of putting something together and light. In other words, light, not sunshine, is what plants actually require to photosynthesize.


In detail, they require photons.


The particles that make up light are called photons, and each photon has a specific quantity of energy that is referred to as photon energy. A photon transfers its energy to an object it strikes, such as a plant, when it does so.


The photon supply from the sun has been available for free ever since life first emerged. Plants are among the species that descended from this primitive photosynthetic algae and eventually managed to gain the ability to exploit this bountiful source of energy to survive.


Humans arrived on the scene after the first photosynthetic life forms developed several billions of years later, and we discovered how to create our own light. Incandescent light bulbs appeared (after a very long time) following the invention of fire.


All light is made of photons; according to physics, it makes no difference whether it is produced chemically or through thermonuclear fusion. Thus, your plants can still develop under artificial lighting!


Natural versus synthetic lighting


However, there are some restrictions to lighting a torch on your money plant in the hopes that it will develop into a robust and healthy adult.


There are some significant distinctions between the light from the sun and the light from an artificial bulb, even if artificial light will work for your plants.


The composition of the wavelength of light varies slightly even within white light, despite the fact that white light is made up of all the hues of light, as we have learnt. The sun emits more red and blue light than does artificial light. Different wavelengths of light have photons with various energies. 


Green plants reflect the majority of green and yellow light, absorbing the majority of the energy from red and blue wavelengths of light (which is why plants appear green).


Sunlight is more intense than any artificial light in terms of brightness. Plants are best acclimated to the sun at this higher intensity. The plant can photosynthesize more efficiently due to the higher intensity because it receives more photons.


Indoor plant growth is aided by artificial lighting


As they say, "necessity is the mother of invention," and in this field, that is exactly what is happening. Today's artificial lights are specifically made to aid in plant growth just as effectively as if they were soaking up sunshine.


The best artificial light sources are called LEDs, or Light Emitting Diodes. They have a higher intensity than fluorescent lights and are the most effective in emitting light in the red and blue portions of the spectrum. And maybe most significantly, they use less energy.


This is a crucial factor to take into account in crop production and study. Indoor plant growing is becoming more and more crucial for sustainable food production as a result of the strains that climate change and rising population are placing on agriculture.


Effects of synthetic lighting on plants


Artificial light may satisfy a plant's needs for photosynthetic energy, but plants also use light signals to track their growth and function.


Like animals, plants have a biological clock inside of them that keeps time with the position of the sun throughout the day. This biological clock determines when flowers bloom, how tall and long plants grow, and how sunflowers track the path of the light throughout the day.


According to lettuce research, the stems of the lettuce grew longer when grown in red LED light as opposed to white light. The growth of the stem is a process that is light-dependent. The addition of some blue light, the researchers discovered, also stopped the stem from growing excessively long.


Artificial light also has an impact on the molecules that plants need to photosynthesize in addition to growth. The primary molecule used by plants to store photon energy is chlorophyll, and light is required for its buildup in cells. 


According to research, chlorophyll accumulates slowly under red and white LED light but not blue LED light, where chlorophyll production is unaffected.


Other chemicals in the plant besides chlorophyll that are not involved in photosynthesis are also impacted. The plant produces these compounds for a variety of additional purposes, such as hormones or antioxidants. These compounds, often known as secondary plant metabolites, are frequently crucial components of animal diets.


A decrease in significant secondary metabolites was seen when the medicinal plant known as "cat's whiskers" (Orthosiphon stamineus) was subjected to artificial light with high irradiance (the measurement of how much energy the light emits). This shows that irradiation may be a crucial consideration.


Conclusion


The understanding of how LEDs impact plant growth is advancing thanks to research. One hopes that this improved understanding will result in improved technology that will one day assist in solving our food issues.


There are small, reasonably priced growth chambers that should function just as well as the sun for those of us who live in apartments that don't get a lot of sunshine. Just be careful not to leave the light on constantly—plants don't like too much light!


The optimum light source for plants is still sunshine, despite these artificial alternatives. So, if you can, let your plants enjoy a day in the sun!