energy-efficiency
Energy efficiency in plant science refers to the optimization of how plants capture, convert, and allocate energy resources—particularly light energy through photosynthesis—relative to their growth and metabolic demands. Understanding and improving plant energy efficiency is critical for developing crops that produce higher yields with fewer inputs, as well as for advancing controlled-environment agriculture where artificial lighting represents a major operational cost. Researchers study how plants regulate energy use under varying light conditions, temperature, and nutrient availability to identify molecular and physiological targets for breeding or engineering more resource-efficient varieties.
PubMed · 2026-02-24
Researchers found that adding a specific type of LED light — tuned to a wavelength plants don't usually use — boosted lettuce growth by 28% while using only 8% more energy, making indoor farming significantly more efficient.
LED lights emitting at 720nm activated a rarely-used photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll f), expanding the plant's usable light range by 15%.
Adding far-red LEDs alongside standard grow lights increased total lettuce biomass by 28%.
The 28% growth boost required only 8% more energy input, representing a strong efficiency gain.
