Is Green Light Useful For Plants ?

Is Green Light Useful For Plants ?

Yes, Green light is useful to plants.

By definition, PAR is 400 to 700 nm, in the middle of this waveband is green light, which has a wavelength between 500 and 600 nm.

In absorption theory we can see that green light is poorly absorbed by chlorophyll, there are pigments other than chlorophyll that absorb light and make it useful for photosynthesis. These “accessory pigments” have different absorption spectra, and some of them absorb green light. Mainly if we check the carotenoid curve it shows max absorption of green.

Sometime it says that green light is not useful for photosynthesis and to support this myth most people says that, plant reflect green lights which is why they appear green. While that’s true, it is usually exaggerated. When light strikes a leaf surface, it can be absorbed (and used for photosynthesis), reflected off the leaf, or transmitted through the leaf.

Most plants appear green because their leaves reflect more green light than red or blue light. However, most (e.g., 85%) green light is absorbed, and only small percentages of green light are reflected or transmitted.

In some situations, green light can be even more useful than blue or red light. Green light typically penetrates deeper into a leaf than blue or red light. Under a high intensity of blue and red light, chlorophylls and accessory pigments on the upper leaf surface become saturated, leaving chlorophylls lower in the leaf (or other accessory pigments) not saturated. With the addition of green light, photons can penetrate deeper in the leaf and be usedfor photosynthesis. Therefore, green light is especially useful under high-light intensities.