Shade Effect on Plant Growth: Part 4 of 4...bringing it all together

Is shade cloth needed?   What amount of shade is required and when? How can one use shade to optimize plant growth?

Every crop needs a different amount of sunlight; every geographical region has differing sun exposure, changing with the seasons. With that in mind, we’ve developed a chart to help answer the above questions.*

Thanks to Clemson University’s  Joanne Logan & John Faust

For additional details on light, types of light and its impact on various crops, see the below lookbook..

*While the data presented is based on research and interviews, there are many variables in the environment such as shifts in weather patterns, major storms and crops can come in many varieties and cultivars; all of which should be considered when selecting a product to go above or below a crop.

References:

• Chen Shi and  Hongtau Liu,  2021; ‘How plants protect themselves from ultraviolet-B radiation stress’ Plant Physiology ;  (May 2021 pages 1096-1103); Accessed Dec 2023d

• Craig, D. S., & Runkle, E. S. 2013 ‘A moderate to high red to far-red light ratio from light emitting diodes controls flowering of short-day plants’, Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 138(3), 167-172.

• Huang, Yutao (2024), ‘Shading Treatment during Late Stage of Seed Development Promotes Subsequent Seed Germination and seedlings Establishment in Sunflower

• Izzo, L.G, The role of monochromatic red and blue light in tomato early photomorphogenesis and photosynthetic traits’ Environmental and Experimental Botany, Vol 179, November 202

• Kusuma, Paul & Bugbee, Bruce 2023, ‘On the contrasting morphological response to far-red at high and low photon fluxes’. Frontiers in Plant Science, June 2 2023

• Martinez-Zamora, Lorena,2023 ‘Effect of postharvest visible spectrum LED lighting on quality and bioactive compounds of tomatoes during shelf life’, LWT , Volume 174, 15 January 2023

• Morello, Victorio, 2022 ‘Light Quality Impacts Vertical Growth Rate, Phytochemical Yield and Cannaboid Production Efficiency in Cannabis Sativa’, Plants 2022 11(21), 2982

• Park, Yujin and Runkle, Eric, 2017 ‘Far Red Radiation Promotes Growth of Seedlings by Increasing Leaf Expansion and Whole Plant Assimilation’, Environmental and Experimental Botany (Volume 155, Nov 2018 pages 206-216)

• Shinomura,T (1970) ‘Phytochrome Regulation of Seed Germination’ Journal of Plant Research, 110(1), 151-161

• Prisca, Meyer (2022) ‘Blue and Far Red Light Control Flowering Time of Woodland Strawberry’, Environmental and Experimental Botany (Volume 198, June 2022)

• Stamps, Robert H., 2009 ‘Use of Colored Shade Netting in Horticulture’American Society for Horticultural Science (Apr 2009 pages 239-241) Accessed Dec 2023

• Song, Yanjie, (2023),’Unravelling effects of red/far-red light on nutritional quality and the role and mechanism in regulating lycopene synthesis in postharvest cherry tomatoes’, Food Chemistry, 414

• Yan, Li ,2021 ’Mixed Red and Blue Light Promotes Tomato Seedlings growth by influencing leaf anatomy, photosynthesis, CO2 assimilation and endogenous hormones’  Scientia Horticulturae,  Volume 290, 15 December 2021