Lighting system to control the circadian rhythm of agricultural products and associated methods

A lighting system comprising:

• a light source;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the light source;
• wherein the controller is configured to receive as an input a selected action time associated with an agricultural product;
• wherein the agricultural product has an associated circadian rhythm defining an optimal action time range;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to determine a lighting schedule responsive to the selected action time and the optimal action time range, the lighting schedule being configured to impose a circadian rhythm on the agricultural product to shift the optimal action time range such that the selected action time coincides with the optimal action time range;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to operate the light source according to the lighting schedule.

A lighting system comprising:

• a controller;
• a light source operably coupled to the controller;
• and
• a timekeeping device operably coupled to the controller;
• wherein the controller is configured to operate the light source so as to emit light in one of a first configuration and a second configuration;
• wherein the controller is configured to operate the light source to emit light so as to have a first biological effect in an agricultural product in the first configuration;
• wherein the controller is configured to operate the light source to emit light so as to have a second biological effect in the agricultural product in the second configuration;
• wherein the controller is configured to determine a lighting schedule responsive to a time of day indicated by the timekeeping device, the lighting schedule comprising emitting light in the first configuration for a first period of time associated with a first phase of a circadian rhythm of the plant and emitting light in the second configuration for a second period of time associated with a second phase of the circadian rhythm of the agricultural product;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to operate the light source responsive to the lighting schedule.