HOW DOES LIGHT COLOR IMPACT PLANT GROWTH? BY SAM ALMONTESAR

June 4, 2025

I interviewed Layo and Francey from Hunter College Elementary School about their presentation on the effects of different light wavelengths on the growth of plants. Their experiment used plastic filter screens to expose different plants to specific colors including red, yellow and blue.

After tracking and comparing the progress of each plant, the presenters revealed that within the conditions of their experiment plants exposed to yellow and red lights thrived more than those exposed to other colors like blue and white. However, the team was mindful of the fact that these results appeared to go against widely accepted research, which suggests that yellow light is less optimal for growing. They concluded that in future they would conduct the same experiment using only one type of plant to ensure more dependable results.

The team also struggled with being able to exactly calibrate light wavelengths, saying: “Something we found hard about our project was finding the right density of plastic color filter, which could make or break the whole entire thing.”

The presenters reflected on the wider significance of the experiment saying, “This could be important because in the future we can learn more about the causes and effects of the different colors of lights and it could help us take hydroponics to a higher level.”

I was astonished to learn how much light wavelength can affect the growth of plants. It was fascinating to hear how changing just one variable can impact growth so significantly.