Speed Breeding with Functional Nets
Speed breeding is gaining attention as a practical way for growers to increase productivity and revenue. However, because it typically requires sophisticated environmental control, it often demands greenhouse construction and significant upfront costs.
This article introduces a low-cost, easy, open-field–compatible approach to speed breeding using shading nets.
What Is Speed Breeding?
Speed breeding accelerates key plant physiological processes—such as photosynthesis, flowering, and fruiting—by managing environmental conditions. This allows growers to shorten harvest cycles or grow multiple generations within a single year. In most cases, temperature, photoperiod, and nutrient levels are carefully controlled to achieve this effect, which is why greenhouse cultivation has become one of the most common and effective settings for speed breeding. A wide range of crops are currently grown using speed breeding techniques, including ornamentals like roses, orchids, and chrysanthemums; fresh produce such as tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers; and high-value crops such as cannabis.
In recent years, many studies have focused on light-spectrum management to further enhance the effectiveness of speed breeding. Today, “speed breeding” often implies spectrum-controlled greenhouse production rather than conventional greenhouse growing. Vertical farming is a representative example.
How LED Technology Has Advanced Speed Breeding
One major reason speed breeding has become more accessible is the rapid advancement of LED technology, which has made light-spectrum control easier and more cost-effective than ever before.
Traditionally, many greenhouses relied on high-pressure sodium lamps.
To tweak the light spectrum, growers needed additional filters—often expensive, non-adjustable, and lacking flexibility. This made fine-tuned spectral control impractical. LEDs solved this problem.
They allow growers to adjust light spectra without filters, even after installation, and at far lower operational cost. As a result, research on the relationship between light spectra and speed breeding has accelerated.
Modern speed breeding methods are the outcome of this body of research being applied directly to commercial and research growing environments.
Specific management requirements vary by crop and variety, and efficiency-focused studies continue to advance the field. Current research pays particular attention to red (600–700 nm) and blue (400–500 nm) wavelengths, which are efficiently absorbed by chlorophyll. These spectra are reported to enhance photosynthesis, biomass accumulation, stomatal conductance, and flowering control—depending on the crop. Additionally, ultraviolet light has been shown to stimulate secondary metabolite production, resulting in increased resistance to plant pathogens. These findings are not limited to LED-only studies, suggesting that even more effective outcomes will be possible with future advancements in spectral control technologies.
Current Challenges in Speed Breeding
Thanks to LED innovation, speed breeding is more accessible than before, but greenhouse construction and operation still require substantial investment. This financial burden makes it difficult for many growers to “try it out,” which remains a major barrier to wider adoption.
Functional Nets as a Practical Alternative
To address this challenge, we propose the use of functional nets (SC Series) designed to amplify specific light spectra. Our lineup includes two nets that selectively enhance red and blue wavelengths—both of which are heavily studied in speed-breeding research. Application is identical to shading nets: they can cover the exterior of a greenhouse or be installed like curtains. For open-field production, a simple cold-frame-style structure is enough, making this the easiest and lowest-cost way to test speed breeding in real conditions. These nets have already demonstrated benefits in improving crop quality in spinach and lisianthus production.
Points to Consider When Using Functional Nets
There are several important considerations:
Precise spectrum control is not possible, unlike with LEDs.
Photoperiod control cannot be achieved, since the light source is natural sunlight.
Ventilation and humidity require attention, similar to shading and insect nets.
As with fertilizers and other agricultural inputs, the ideal setup varies by region and crop. We recommend testing in a limited area first to confirm effectiveness. Our SC Series functional nets are an excellent first step for growers interested in trying speed breeding without major investment.