Can supplemental LED lighting unlock higher yields in Australian protected cropping?
Australia is known for abundant sunshine, but for protected tomato growers, light can still be a limiting factor.
A new literature review, Supplemental LED Lighting for Australian Conditions in Tomatoes under Protected Cropping, explores how strategic use of LED lighting could help growers address winter light deficits, improve productivity, and optimise returns under Australia’s unique growing conditions.
While much of the world’s greenhouse lighting research has focused on high-latitude regions with low natural light, Australian conditions present a different challenge: balancing severe winter light shortages in southern production regions with high summer radiation and dense canopy shading.
The review examines how supplemental LED lighting, particularly targeted winter top-lighting and inter-lighting, may help stabilise yields, improve light distribution within the crop canopy, and support more efficient use of inputs such as CO₂ and energy.
Key themes covered in the review include:
Why winter Daily Light Integral (DLI) deficits may be constraining tomato productivity in Australian greenhouses
Where supplemental LEDs may deliver the strongest biological and economic returns
Lessons from international research relevant to Australia’s high-radiation environments
Emerging technologies, from inter-lighting to IoT-enabled adaptive lighting systems
Critical research and investment gaps still needing to be addressed
