Fluence VYPR selected as supplementary lighting solution for Wageningen University and Research Center, NPEC

Energy efficiency and spectra are essential for high-throughput plant phenotyping, from growth chambers to crop fields

AUSTIN, Texas, and ROTTERDAM, Netherlands–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fluence, a leading global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, has been selected by Wageningen University & Research (WUR, WUR) as its LED technology partner for its new Netherlands Plant Eco-phenotyping Center (NPEC). In the NPEC’s state-of-the-art phenotyping greenhouse, VYPR DUO 3×2 fixtures are being used to support research on genotype-phenotype associations.

The official opening of the NPEC will take place prior to the week-long International Plant Phenotyping Symposium 2022 (IPPS 2022), which will be held September 26–30 in Wageningen, the Netherlands. Fluence, a premier sponsor of IPPS 2022, will attend the symposium and the NPEC opening in Wageningen.

The NPEC comprises six modules spread across two university campuses, each offering dedicated phenotyping platforms with their own measurement systems. A specialized greenhouse on the WUR campus houses five climate-controlled compartments equipped with Fluence’s VYPR DUO 3×2 grow lights. The compartments’ 3D and hyperspectral imaging, conveyor systems, and various sensors produce high-precision measurements, including the size, color, and positioning of plant leaves, which can be analyzed to understand the plants’ genetic response to various conditions and treatments, such as heat, drought, or increased soil salinity.

«The use of highly customizable technologies that generate high-quality data on plant performance and provide insight into how environmental parameters affect the plant’s phenotype was an essential criterion in selecting our equipment partners,» said Rick van de Zedde, principal investigator and project lead for the NPEC. «Having worked with Fluence on the lighting for our high-tech quarantine greenhouse, Serre Red, we knew that the PhysioSpec™️ BROAD R4 white-spectrum fixtures could help create a near-ideal research environment in the NPEC greenhouse.».

In addition to Fluence’s state-of-the-art VYPR lighting fixtures, which are equipped with PhysioSpec™️ BROAD R4 white-spectrum technology, NPEC researchers will use the Maxi-MARVIN imaging device to contribute to the research—a high-throughput 3D modeling system developed by WUR that can reconstruct a plant’s architecture in a matter of milliseconds. Other high-tech research tools at WUR include a light- and dark-adaptation chamber, as well as imaging systems capable of analyzing the photosynthetic efficiency of plants.

«Research on genotype-phenotype associations—particularly on how ecological and environmental variables impact plant phenotypes—is essential for the development of new climate-resilient crops,» explained Mr. van de Zedde. «Automated phenotyping will also significantly increase the speed of plant breeding and shorten the time it takes to bring new crop varieties to market.».

«We are honored to partner with WUR to advance high-quality food production and sustainable crop development,» said Theo Tekstra, Fluence’s Technical Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and team leader for the WUR project. «Our PhysioSpec™️ BROAD R4 white light spectrum comes as close as possible to what the WUR scientific team has defined as the ideal spectrum for conducting year-round research on a wide range of plant species.».

The ongoing partnership between Fluence and WUR also includes the supply of LED lighting for a specialized greenhouse used for insect research and for phenotyping climate chambers in Wageningen. To learn more about the collaborations between Fluence and WUR, click here.

To learn more about Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.

About Fluence

Fluence Bioengineering, Inc. (Fluence) develops powerful, energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial crop production and research applications. As a leading provider of LED lighting in the global cannabis market, Fluence is on a mission to enable more efficient crop production for the world’s top growers, whether in vertical farms or greenhouses. Fluence’s global headquarters is located in Austin, Texas, and the company also has an EMEA headquarters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Fluence operates as a business unit within Signify’s Digital Solutions division. To learn more about Fluence, visit www.fluence.science.

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