In any discussion about lighting and cannabis, maximizing yield is a primary goal. Recent research around spectra, light intensities and lighting technologies has intensified interest in where cultivation yields are currently and where they’ll soon be.
When examining average yields per square foot across all genetics, two segments held the greatest percentages of research participants: 21% reported achieving “70 grams per square foot or more,” while 20% averaged “50 to 59 grams per square foot.” Meanwhile, 17% of participants reported average yields of “40 to 49 grams per square foot.”
As lighting technologies advance and manufacturers respond to growers’ needs, more cultivators are moving beyond top lighting to explore other lighting types. More than half (51%) of participants currently using supplemental lighting or considering adding it within the next 12 months expressed interest in exploring at least one alternative lighting type.
In moves closely tied to yields, 30% of participants say they’re interested in exploring “side lighting” in addition to top lighting. “Intercanopy” lighting has the attention of nearly one-fourth (23%) of participants. And 19% of participants are interested in exploring “sub canopy” fixtures this year.
