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Green light is radiation with wavelengths between 520 and 560 nm and it affects photosynthesis, plant height, and flowering. Plants reflect green light and this is why they appear green to our eyes. As a result, some growers think that plants don’t use green wavelengths, but they actually do! In fact, only around 5 – 10% of green light is reflected from leaves and the rest (90 – 95 %) is absorbed or transmitted to lower leaves [1]. Green wavelengths get used in photosynthesis. Chlorophyll pigments absorb small amounts of green wavelengths. Light that doesn’t get absorbed is transmitted to leaves that are shaded out from direct light. This means that leaves at the bottom of the canopy get more green light than leaves at the top. A high proportion of green wavelengths compared to other colors tells lower leaves that they are being shaded out, so they are able to react accordingly. Lower leaves may react by opening or closing their stomata or growing longer stems that help the leaves reach brighter light [1, 2, 3]. When it comes to growing cannabis, many cultivators are interested in the quality of light used for the flowering stage. In many plants, flowering is regulated by two main photoreceptors: cryptochrome and phytochrome. Both photoreceptors primarily respond to blue light but can also respond to green, although to a lesser extent. Green can accelerate the start of flowering in several species (although cannabis has yet to be tested) [1, 4, 5]. However, once flowering has begun, it’s important to provide plants with a “full spectrum” light that has high amounts of blue and red light, and moderate amounts of green, in order for photosynthesis to be optimized. Green light mediates seed germination in some species. Seeds use green wavelengths to decide whether the environment is good for germination. Shade environments are enriched in green relative to red and blue light, so a plant can tell if it is shady or sunny. A seed that senses a shaded environment may stay dormant to avoid poor growing conditions [1]. Some examples of plant species where researchers have documented this response are: ryegrass (a grass that grows in tufts) and Chondrilla (a plant related to dandelion) [1, 6]. Although green wavelengths generally tell plants NOT to germinate, there are some exceptions! Surprisingly, green wavelengths can stimulate seed germination in some species like Aeschynomene, Tephrosia, Solidago, Cyrtopodium, and Atriplex [1, 6, 7]. Of course, light is not the only factor affecting seed germination – it’s a combination of many factors, such as soil moisture, soil type, temperature, photoperiod, and light quality. When combined with red and blue light, green can really enhance plant growth [1, 8]. However, too much green light (more than 50% of the total light) can actually reduce plant growth [8]. Based on the most current research, the ideal ratio of green, red, and blue light is thought to be around 1:2:1 for green:blue:red [9]. When choosing a horticultural light, choose one that has high amounts of blue and red light and moderate amounts of green and other colors of light. Not many studies can be found about the effect of green light on cannabis growth or metabolism. However, if one reads carefully, there are clues and data available even from the very early papers. Mahlberg and Hemphill (1983) used colored filters in their study to alter the sunlight spectrum and study green light among others. They concluded that the green filter, which makes the environment green by cutting other wavelengths out, reduced the THC concentration significantly compared to the daylight control treatment. It has been demonstrated that green color can reduce secondary metabolite activity with other species as well. For example, the addition of green to a light spectrum decreases anthocyanin concentration in lettuce (Zhang and Folta 2012). If green light only reverses the biosynthesis of some secondary metabolites, then why put green light into a growth spectrum at all? Well, there are a couple of good reasons. One is that green penetrates leaf layers effectively. Conversely red and blue light is almost completely absorbed by the first leaf layer. Green travels through the first, second, and even third layers effectively (Figure 2). Lower leaf layers can utilize green light in photosynthesis and therefore produce yields as well. Even though a green light-specific photoreceptor has not yet been found, it is known that green light has effects independent from the cryptochrome but then again, also cryptochrome-dependent ones, just like blue light. It is known that green light in low light intensity conditions can enhance far red stimulating secondary metabolite production in microgreens and then again, counteracts the production of these compounds in high-intensity light conditions (Kim et al. 2004). In many cases, green light promoted physiological changes in plants that are opposite to the actions of blue light. In the study by Kim et al. blue light-induced anthocyanin accumulation was inhibited by green light. In another study it has been found that blue light promotes stomatal opening whereas green light promotes stomatal closure (Frechilla et al. 2000). Blue light inhibits the early stem elongation in the seedling stage whereas green light promotes it (Folta 2004). Also, blue light results in flowering induction, and green light inhibits it (Banerjee et al., 2007). As you can see, green light works very closely with blue light, and therefore not only the amount of these two wavelengths separately is important but also the ratio (Blue: Green) between these two in the designed spectrum. Furthermore, green light has been found to affect the elongation of petioles and upward leaf reorientation with the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana both of which are a sign of shade avoidance symptoms (Zhang et al. 2011) and also gene expression in the same plant (Dhingra et al. 2006). As mentioned before, green light produces shade avoidance symptoms which are quite intuitive if you consider the natural conditions where the plants grow. Not all the green light is reflected from the highest canopy leaves in nature but a lot of it (50-90%) has been estimated to penetrate the upper leaves at the plant level ((Terashima et al., 2009; Nishio, 2000). For the plant growing in the understory of the forest green light is a signal for the plant of being in the shade of a bigger plant. Then again, the plants growing under unobstructed sunlight can take advantage of the green photons that can more easily penetrate the upper leaves than the red and blue photons. From the photosynthetic pigments in higher plants, chlorophyll is crucial for plant growth. Dissolved chlorophyll and absorb maximally in the red (λ600–700 nm) and blue (λ400–500 nm) regions of the spectrum and not as easily in the green (λ500–600 nm) regions. Up to 80% of all green light is thought to be transmitted through the chloroplast (Terashima et al., 2009) and this allows more green photons to pass deeper into the leaf mesophyll layer than red and blue photons. When the green light is scattered in the vertical leaf profile its journey is lengthened and therefore photons have a higher chance of hitting and being absorbed by chloroplasts on their passage through the leaf to the lower leaves of the plant. Photons of PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) are captured by chlorophyll causing an excitation of an electron to enter a higher energy state in which the energy is immediately passed on to the neighboring chlorophyll molecule by resonance transfer or released to the electron transport chain (PSII and PSI). Despite the low extinction coefficient of chlorophyll in the green 500–600 nm region it needs to be noted that the absorbance can be significant if the pigment (chlorophyll) concentration in the leaf is high enough. The research available clearly shows that plants use green wavelengths to promote higher biomass and yield (photosynthetic activity), and that it is a crucial signal for long-term developmental and short-term dynamic acclimation (Blue:Green ratio) to the environment. It should not be dismissed but studied more because it brings more opportunities to control plant gene expression and physiology in plant production. REFERENCES Banerjee R., Schleicher E., Meier S. Viana R. M., Pokorny R., Ahmad M., Bittl R., Batschauer. 2007. The signaling state of Arabidopsis cryptochrome 2 contains flavin semiquinone. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 282, 14916–14922. Dhingra, A., Bies, D. H., Lehner, K. R., and Folta, K. M. 2006. Green light adjusts the plastic transcriptome during early photomorphogenic development. Plant Physiol. 142, 1256-1266. Folta, K. M. 2004. Green light stimulates early stem elongation, antagonizing light-mediated growth inhibition. Plant Physiol. 135, 1407-1416. Frechilla, S., Talbott, L. D., Bogomolmi, R. A., and Zeiger, E. 2000. Reversal of blue light -stimulated stomatal opening by green light. Plant Cell Physiol. 41, 171-176. Kim, H.H., Goins, G. D., Wheeler, R. M., and Sager, J. C. 2004.Green-light supplementation for enhanced lettuce growth under red- and blue-light emitting diodes. HortScience 39, 1617-1622. Nishio, J.N. 2000. Why are higher plants green? Evolution of the higher plant photosynthetic pigment complement. Plant Cell and Environment 23, 539–548. Terashima I., Fujita T., Inoue T., Chow W.S., Oguchi R. 2009. Green light drives leaf photosynthesis more efficiently than red light in strong white light: revisiting the enigmatic question of why leaves are green. Plant & Cell Physiology 50, 684–697. Zhang, T., Maruhnich, S. A., and Folta, K. M. 2011. Green light induces shade avoidance symptoms. Plant Physiol. 157, 1528-156. Wang, Y. & Folta, K. M. Contributions of green light to plant growth and development. Am. J. Bot. 100, 70–78 (2013). Zhang, T. & Folta, K. M. Green light signaling and adaptive response. Plant Signal. Behav. 7, 75–78 (2012). Johkan, M. et al. Blue light-emitting diode light irradiation of seedlings improves seedling quality and growth after transplanting in red leaf lettuce. HortScience 45, 1809–1814 (2010). Kasajima, S., et al. Effect of Light Quality on Developmental Rate of Wheat under Continuous Light at a Constant Temperature. Plant Prod. Sci. 10, 286–291 (2007). Banerjee, R. et al. The signaling state of Arabidopsis cryptochrome 2 contains flavin semiquinone. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 14916–14922 (2007). Goggin, D. E. & Steadman, K. J. Blue and green are frequently seen: responses of seeds to short- and mid-wavelength light. Seed Sci. Res. 22, 27–35 (2012). Mandák, B. & Pyšek, P. The effects of light quality, nitrate concentration and presence of bracteoles on germination of different fruit types in the heterocarpous Atriplex sagittata. J. Ecol. 89, 149–158 (2001). Darko, E. et al. Photosynthesis under artificial light: the shift in primary and secondary metabolism. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci. 369 (2014). Lu, N. et al. Effects of Supplemental Lighting with Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on Tomato Yield and Quality of Single-Truss Tomato Plants Grown at High Planting Density. Environ. Control Biol. 50, 63–74 (2012).
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@KA_LE
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- Defoliated the bottom half pf the plant at the start of the week removing all leaves and little stems so the plant can put more energy into the buds on the main stem. - Some of the outer leaves are getting burnt from the strip lighting. Nothing I can really do about this, next grow ill make sure the plant doesn't get so big. - Looked like the plant was getting some slight nute burn so I decided to back off from the Canna PK this week. I might bring it back in week 17 if shes looking hungry. - Installed a feeding tube to avoid spilling nutrients on the buds and reduce the amount I have to move the plant in and out of the bucket. - Tested my runoff Ph and its at about 6.5. Should I lower the Ph of my nute mix to compensate or is this normal? - Buds are coming along nicely, smell is very fresh and light.
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@THCpapa
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Welcome, plant enthusiasts and accidental garden comedians, to the whimsical tale of Week 9 in my botanical circus! This week was a leafy spectacular, with more drama than a soap opera and more twists than a contortionist at a leafy circus. First in the spotlight is the topping extravaganza – imagine my plants auditioning for a leafy talent show, and voila! One of the ladies went above and beyond, not with one or two, but three tops! It's like my garden is hosting its own version of "America's Got Leafs," and the contestants are aiming for a standing ovation from the tiny plant audience. Now, onto the nutrient boost – it's like my plants discovered a secret stash of leafy steroids. They're devouring those nutrients like they stumbled upon an all-you-can-eat salad bar. If my garden had a Yelp page, it would probably say, "Five stars for the gourmet buffet – would photosynthesize again!" But with great growth comes great thirst, or so my diva plants declare. I can practically hear them demanding water with the urgency of a plant water-seeking missile. "Hydrate us, human! We're not just thirsty; we're in a botanical drought crisis!" And now, the grand revelation – last week's leafy fashion faux pas was all thanks to a faulty pH pen. The plants probably threw a mini leaf party when I introduced the new pH pen, complete with tiny leaf confetti. They're like, "Finally, accurate pH readings – no more plant tie-dye nightmares!" In a twist of fate, I had to embark on a plant-less journey for a few days. So, like a responsible plant parent on a comedy tour, I decided to water a bit earlier and a bit more before my departure. And lo and behold, the plants loved it! It's like they threw me a farewell bash, chanting "Water, water, party, party!" in their own leafy language. The early topping and Leafy Synchronized Training (LST) maneuvers have clearly paid off. My plants are now strutting their stuff like runway models in a botanical fashion show. I picture them doing the leafy version of the cha-cha. So, Week 9 has been a laugh-out-loud masterpiece – from topping triumphs to nutrient raves, from hydration demands to pH pen dramas. As I return to my green kingdom, I can't help but feel like a plant ringmaster who has navigated the garden circus with flair. Stay tuned for the next episode of "The Green Carnival" – where every leaf has its own act, and every week is a new leafy adventure under the big, green tent! 🌿🎪🌟
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@Rollex420
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The girls are recovering well.. They certainly haven't given up! So they have a lot to give on the next few remaining weeks, flowers daily increase their volume.. 🙌🏻📊
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💩Holy Crap We Are Back At It And Loving It💩 Growmies we are at DAY 49 and she's just killing💀it👌 The Smell has kicked in and is wonderful 😀 👉We are in full out flowering 💐 and its looking great 👈 So Shit , I gave them just a tad to much nutes on the first few feedings 👈 But I have since fixed it So I'm helping out with some low stress training 🙃 and some defolation 😳 Lights being readjusted and chart updated .........👍rain water to be used entire growth👈 👉I used NutriNPK for nutrients for my grows and welcome anyone to give them a try .👈 👉 www.nutrinpk.com 👈 NutriNPK Cal MAG 14-0-14 NutriNPK Grow 28-14-14 NutriNPK Bloom 8-20-30 NutriNPK Bloom Booster 0-52-34 I GOT MULTIPLE DIARIES ON THE GO 😱 please check them out 😎 👉THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GO OVER MY DIARIES 👈
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@RIZZY
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FIRST GROW, ANY ADVICE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED" PEACE
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Was a good harvest wk. Think I pult about 5 others plants that drying week. And she held her smell from the start to the end of curing. No bushwhack smell (hay). And got some decent strong weed. Although not my favourite weed. In its own right for what it is. It is what it says. So, hence the 8 tars.
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Die terpene und trichome bilden sich jetzt und es duftet nach Lilien oh ich mag Lilien !!!!
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@No_Clout
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Everything’s looking well just waiting for them to swell up now.
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Day 35. Minor defoliation and supercropped a few branches. Day 37. Starting to flower nicely, some frost Starting to appear on buds. Day 41. Strong smell of strawberry bubblegum when manipulating plant.
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Aug 16: Tropicana Cookies FF is a really fast flowering plant. I’m getting excited for the flowering progress cuz it looks like it is going to be a big one. Very exciting and we’re still only at mid-August so the timing is very good for a strong finish in September without it dragging into October. Aug 18: video shows using the 730 nm far red light at dusk. To maintain a natural schedule I use Civil Twilight as listed on timeanddate.com. This is getting 2-3 minutes earlier each night. Just a couple seconds is all it takes to put plant into dark mode 2 hours faster making it like a 26 h day. Great trick if you have daily access.
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Closing thoughts. Damn easy plant to grow responds well to training have fairly uniformed plants only on kept the purple trait but that's ok we can selection breed for that. I am happy I decided to go this route with the breeding the girl scout diesel really complemented the mother plant
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@Lazuli
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Flowered during winter and i payed the price