Research on Lighting Optimization Technology for Vertical Planting Racks: The Synergistic Effect of LED Supplementary Lighting and Three-dimensional Layout

Vertical planting racks improve land utilization through multi-layer structures, but insufficient light has become a key factor restricting their development. The collaborative application of LED supplementary lighting technology and three-dimensional layout provides an effective way to solve this problem. ​

LED supplementary lighting technology has unique advantages. Its spectral tunability can meet the needs of plants at different growth stages. For instance, red light can promote the flowering and fruiting of plants, while blue light is beneficial for root development and chlorophyll synthesis. Meanwhile, the energy consumption of LED lights is 30% to 50% lower than that of traditional supplementary lighting equipment. They also have a long lifespan and low maintenance costs. Through intelligent controllers, the light intensity can be precisely adjusted to avoid energy waste. ​

The three-dimensional layout design of the vertical planting rack has a significant impact on light. Structural parameters such as layer spacing, inclination Angle, and material light transmittance determine the distribution of light in each layer. A reasonable inclination Angle can reduce the upper layer occlusion, and the layer material with good light transmission can improve the utilization rate of light. Meanwhile, planning the planting density and layering layout based on the plant morphology can also optimize the utilization of spatial light. ​

The synergistic effect of the two is remarkable. On the one hand, by setting LED lights of different powers and angles on different layers of the planting rack and combining with the three-dimensional layout design, the problem of uneven light intensity distribution in each layer can be improved. On the other hand, LED supplementary lighting reduces plants' reliance on natural light, expands the planting space, and with a reasonable three-dimensional layout and precise light control, high-density planting can be achieved. Actual cases show that vertical farming farms adopting this collaborative model can achieve a yield per unit area that is ten times that of traditional farming, and the quality of crops has significantly improved. For instance, the vitamin C content of strawberries has increased by 15%, and the sugar content of the fruits has also risen. ​

Although the current collaborative application has problems such as high initial cost and the lack of a universal lighting optimization model, with technological progress, its application prospects in the vertical agriculture field are broad, which will strongly promote the development of agricultural production towards high efficiency and precision.