7/10/2023 0 Comments Northern lights weedMost cannabis plants are photoperiod, which means that they will only produce flowers when a certain duration of dark is received. In this way, plants are able to produce flowers at the optimal time of year and before a winter freeze. There are many plants that respond to day-length or “photoperiod” and the most common response is the induction of flowering. Photoperiodism is an evolutionary characteristic which plants developed to be able to determine when the seasons change. Rather, the dark period needs during the flowering period are a result of photoperiodism. The dark period for flowering has nothing to do with photosynthesis or the ability of the plant to use light energy and make carbohydrates. While cannabis plants do not require any darkness during the vegetative stage, many growers know that most cannabis plants do require a uninterrupted dark period to produce flowers. Because of potential negative responses and less efficient returns from electricity, we recommend vegetating all cannabis plants under 18/6 lighting. You are using 25% more electricity, but you may not realize 25% faster growth. Because of diminishing returns, the growth realized during the “additional” light time may be less efficient. However, it comes at the expense of additional electricity. The potential benefits of 24/0 lighting are somewhat faster vegetative growth. A massive review on continuous lighting studies has shown that some plants perform negatively while others perform positively when grown under 24/0 lighting. Research has shown that there are important connections between a plant's internal clock and genetic expressions, which can play an important role in the overall health and performance of a plant. Like other living organisms, plants are governed by a circadian rhythm and a hormonal clock system that functions in sync with a light on, light off cycle. However, there are additional factors to consider. Just thinking about photosynthesis and the Calvin cycle has led many growers to the conclusion that 24/0 lighting is best for vegetative growth. Furthermore, as we explain below, the benefits of 24/0 lighting are minor and may not be worth the additional costs for electricity. That said, there is reason to believe that certain strains may benefit from a dark cycle. However, Cannabis is a C3 plant, which means that it takes in carbon dioxide during the day and does not require a dark cycle to complete the photosynthesis cycle. There are plants that only can absorb carbon dioxide at night and thus require a dark period to complete photosynthesis. They do not require a dark phase to perform their basic functions of growth during the vegetative stage. This means that the synthesis of carbohydrates occurs only while the plant is receiving light.Ĭannabis plants can be grown under continuous 24/0 lighting. Although they are called “light independent” the synthesis processes of photosynthesis only operate when they receive energy from the “light dependent” part of the cycle. It is during this second stage that plants take carbon dioxide from the air and use it to create the ultimate product of photosynthesis, carbohydrates. However, it relies on the energy created in the first half of the photosynthesis. It is “light independent” because nothing within the Calvin cycle itself uses light energy directly. This energy drives the synthesis of carbohydrates in the light independent cycle, which is often called the Calvin cycle. During the light dependent cycle, plants use light and water to create energy in the form of ATP and NADPH. Photosynthesis is really two basic processes, a light dependent cycle (the “photo” part of photosynthesis) and a light independent cycle, where carbohydrates are built (the “synthesis” part of photosynthesis). Plants use energy from light, to power their growth. However, there is confusion in the growing community about the duration of lighting that works best for vegetative growth for photoperiod and auto-flowering plants. With photoperiod plants, we are limited to only 12 hours of light during the flowering stage. The more light we can give them, the better they are. ![]() The light cycle is important because plants need light to photosynthesize. 12/12 timing is used during the flowering period with Photoperiod plants. 12/12: Lights are on 12 hours and off 12 hours. ![]()
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