is moonlight beneficial?

Nizza

Well-Known Member
check this out
 

Kassiopeija

Well-Known Member
C'mon guys, this could be an intersting topic, really.

Some of the topics of "nightlight" has been investigated by scientists previously, although to be found to be working, but is quite complicated and simply not commercially viable. The question is, if in days of modern monochromatic light technology - and a plant producing enormous revenue, if this still holds true?

How much lux the moon releases is not relevant - as this is scaled to the human vision. Question would be - how much PPFD reaches the earth's surface by night - and what is the moon's spectrum?

Lumen/Lux is strongly centered around 500-600nm - but plants can sense from ~250nm-780nm. Some of their photoreceptors only absorb at specific wavelength - e.g. Phytochrome 660nm & 730nm - so it's possible to "light out" a plant at night without distorting certain flower-building or generative mechanism. Of course not with the normal grow light, as this would simulate the "day"...

One can savely use 700-780nm FR/IR light without interrupting flowering - it may actually even increase the "hormone" ("Florigen") buildup! For this, it may not even be needed constantly but only 15mins each 90mins. Such is one of the Pr/Pfr-reactions...
Additionally, a constant FR/IR-light can still keep Photosystem I running - leading to cyclical electron transport and the creation of ATP from ADP, and some other stuff...

Moon and plants are a normal happening. Photo Period Plants have evolved to adapt to the light of the moon, and not stop the maturation process, though in some places like Vietnam/South East Asia, plants have been known to live a couple/season by revjuve.

I often refer to the Farmers Almanac as my guide to planting. And it does make sense.

For seed crops like weed, the seeds are planted when the moon is dark, and by the time the seeds have germinated, the moon will just start to be showing itself, and becoming brighter by the day, and after is peak, will still be light until a new moon again.

My theory is the light of the moon helps keep the plants growing to a certain amount, call it a response, vs if one would plant when the moon is bright ect, and then the seedling would never see the extra light of the moon vs if one had planted when the moon was dark.

Also the brightness of the moon, and the slower regression of time outside vs inside where it can go from 24 hours to 12 hours over night, gives one heck of a flowering response, vs losing only seconds a day outside.
Its possible a light source inside equal to that of the moon, and the same Kelvin, may prolong flowering.

Ive also read even some plants that are sensitive can Hermi from the brightness of the moon, but not necessarily as a rule. Nothing is 100%

Main thing is the Moonlight Simulation inside has to be like the moon in every way, or one risks muck up.
I fully second this, and like to add that there are plant species known which flower in accordance to the moon cycle - they observe a 28 day regiment and "see" when the moon is full or not. Clouds at night can actually disturb their flowering scheme.
 

pulpoinspace

Well-Known Member
How much lux the moon releases is not relevant - as this is scaled to the human vision. Question would be - how much PPFD reaches the earth's surface by night - and what is the moon's spectrum?
take a par meter outside at night then and see how much ppfd there is. My guess is your meter says 0
 

Kassiopeija

Well-Known Member
check this out
Sometimes I wonder if these were just Automatiks - because that breeder -RQS- doesn't really have a good reputation, and there are cases know when ppl received a full wrong pack.... Unfortunately, @RangiSTaxi isn't online anymore...
 

pulpoinspace

Well-Known Member
Well, could you recommend a quantum-meter which measures "full"? I've looked into some Bugbee-meters, but even the PAR-one stops at 692nm... and the additional FR & UV do a rather incomplete job... :/
No I don’t I’ve never owned any quantum meter. But you could try that one.

you could also just use a regular 400-700 and then look up how much UV and IR is reflected off the moon my guess is it’s minuscule. Those photons have traveled quite a distance, reflected off an object and then traveled quite another long distance
 

Kassiopeija

Well-Known Member
my guess is it’s minuscule.
You are most likely right, as in comparison between sun & moon - the natural nightlight won't hold much energy for actual photosynthesis. If effects are observed, these are eventually from a photoreceptor-response. Plants need to repair some of their "daily machinery" from the workload of the day anyway, as the direct sunlight is much more than most leaves can take for an extended time.

and then look up how much UV and IR is reflected off the moon
I think UVA & blue are reflected quite a bit, or, more than red...
 
Top