Being sessile, plants are constantly competing with other plants for light, living space, water, and nutrients. Competition for light causes morphological and developmental changes in plants. Plants have the ability to sense small changes in the spectrum, intensity and direction of light. Photoreceptors sense these light signals making possible the acquisition of information ‘used’ to adjust plant development. Three major groups of photoreceptors have been identified; red and far-red sensing phytochromes; UV-A and blue light sensing cryptochromes.

By knowing the photobiological background of different species, we can design light spectra suitable for multiple species. By modifying a spectrum we can for example maintain the vegetative stage of the plants longer and delay flowering in many species.

The research was made to study the effect of different Valoya light spectra on the growth and morphology of Arabidopsis thaliana.