Measuring and reporting lighting characteristics important for controlled environment plant production

The objective of this article is to propose best practices for measuring and reporting key light characteristics for controlled environment plant production research. We discuss light measurements and common metrics, including appropriate instrumentation (such as quantum sensors, pyranometers, and spectroradiometers), measurement location and frequency (spatial and temporal), intensity and distribution, spectrum (including key spectral ratios), as well as describe appropriate methods for reporting those measurements and metrics in the scientific literature and research reports. We hope that this information will enable more consistent measurement and reporting procedures and, as a result, will lead to better understanding of published research information as well as increase the repeatability of that research. The latter is particularly important given the efforts (both in terms of time and resources) that are being expended to fully realize the potential of solid-state lighting for the controlled environment plant production industry.