Scientists have found a way of planting wheat that grows faster than normal speed by two times, which can contribute to support the rapidly growing population in the world.
According to Dr. Brande Wulff, the leader of the research team, it usually takes 4 to 5 months for a crop to harvest from a seed to a harvest. In contrast, it takes only 8 weeks for the team to use a specially modified LED lamp to cultivate crops. At the John Innes Centre plant research center in Norwich, Norwich, the team irradiated plants for 22 hours a day and provided rich nutrient solutions. But even so, they want to try planting technology that is more energy saving than the standard laboratory.
"We need to develop crops that can better adapt to the future climate, race with time, and develop better crops," Dr. Wulff said. These new crops will be affordable, more nutritious and more productive, in order to help feed the growing population of the world. "
It is understood that these crops are also larger and healthier than those of normal growth conditions. The main LED lamps used by researchers can produce blue and red light needed for plant photosynthesis. And most laboratories and greenhouses use a sodium vapor lamp similar to a street lamp.
Dr. Wulff pointed out that most of the yellow and green light emitted by sodium vapor lamps is not needed for plants to grow. LED lamps just provide the light needed for photosynthesis.
However, because of the unrealistic exposure to large farms at night, the team's "fast cultivation" technology can not be applied to farms. But Dr. Wulff said that the research results are expected to accelerate the progress of crop research, and cultivate crops with better adaptability, more nutritious and less chemical substances.
In addition, the team is also trying to grow six generations of barley, peas and chickpeas in a year.