Lightscout
Red/Far Red Light Meter
The LightScout Red/Far Red Light Meter is a portable instrument used to measure the Red/Far-Red ratio in plant growth chambers, greenhouses, and other plant growth environments.
Red and Far Red Light
Plants sense the amount of light in the ranges around 660 nanometers (red) and 730 nanometers (far red), and use the ratio between the two to direct growth. Though plants differ in the details of their reaction, in general a low Red / Far Red ratio results in elongation and lower leaf area compared to a higher ratio.
The Field Scout Red / Far Red Meter measures the light in these two ranges, and displays the values in units of µmol m-2 s-1 (the number of photons in units of micromoles, striking an area one meter square each second). In addition, the meter displays the Red / Far Red Ratio, eliminating the need for computation.
Using the Meter
1. Press the ON/OFF button to turn the meter on or off.
When first turned on, the display will show the current
battery level.
2. Press the READ button to take a light reading. The meter
will measure the incident light for 0.3 seconds and display
the mean.
3. Press the MODE button to switch between displaying the
Red / Far Red Ratio, and the Red and Far Red readings.
4. The sensor assembly can be rotated to provide accurate
readings while maintaining visibility of the display screen.
5. Turn the meter off after use to conserve battery power.
Changing the Battery
The Field Scout Red / Far Red Meter uses a standard 9V battery. To change the battery:1. Slide open the door on the back of the meter.
2. Remove the old battery from the compartment, and insert
the new battery. Be sure to orient the battery to match the
image on the bottom of the compartment.
3. Place the battery cover on the case and slide it closed
