Petaluma Pepper Company

The Gas Lantern Technique (GLT) is a light manipulation method used in plant cultivation, particularly for cannabis and other photoperiod-sensitive plants. The "gas lantern" refers to any controlled light source that allows precise control over the dark period. This technique is crucial for inducing flowering in cannabis and managing growth cycles in peppers.

At its core, GLT exploits the fact that plants respond to light and dark cycles. By controlling the photoperiod, we can influence when plants flower, how they grow, and ultimately, their yield and quality. In our operation, we use this technique to optimize both cannabis and pepper production in our controlled growing environments.

Plants use light cycles to regulate their growth phases through complex photoreceptor systems, primarily involving phytochromes. Phytochromes are red/far-red light-sensitive proteins that exist in two interconvertible forms: Pr (red-light absorbing, inactive) and Pfr (far-red absorbing, active). The Pr to Pfr conversion occurs upon red light exposure, while far-red light reverses this process.

Our standard cycle is 12 hours on, 5.5 hours off, followed by 1 hour on, and then 5.5 hours off. This controlled interruption maintains the plant in vegetative state by preventing the Pr/Pfr ratio from stabilizing in favor of flowering. The brief light exposure during the dark period resets the phytochrome clock, giving us precise control over the cultivation process.

In our setup at Petaluma Pepper Company, we use automated timers connected to low-intensity red LED lights (around 660 nm wavelength) to implement this cycle. The specific wavelength targets the phytochrome system without providing sufficient photosynthetic light, effectively tricking the plant's biological clock while minimizing energy consumption.

Compared to a standard 18/6 light cycle (18 hours light, 6 hours dark), GLT significantly alters plant hormone dynamics. In an 18/6 cycle, cannabis plants typically transition to flowering after 2-4 weeks of vegetative growth, triggered by the accumulation of flowering hormones like florigen.

GLT disrupts this process by preventing the stable dark period required for florigen synthesis and transport. The brief light interruptions maintain high levels of gibberellins (GA) that promote vegetative growth while suppressing abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation. This results in prolonged vegetative phase with enhanced auxin (IAA) distribution, leading to increased branching and biomass.

The interrupted cycle creates a unique hormonal profile that maximizes photosynthetic efficiency during light periods while preventing premature flowering induction. This allows for larger, more robust plants before the final flowering trigger, ultimately leading to higher yields and better cannabinoid profiles.

While peppers are less sensitive to photoperiod than cannabis, the Gas Lantern Technique still offers benefits for controlling growth and fruiting cycles. By manipulating light exposure, we can influence flowering and fruit set timing, optimizing for continuous production.

In our pepper cultivation, we've observed enhanced regulation of circadian rhythms and improved metabolic efficiency. This results in:

For our super hot peppers like Carolina Reapers and Ghost Peppers, this technique helps maintain consistent production throughout the growing season, ensuring steady supply of our premium products.

Here are some tips we've learned from our experience implementing the Gas Lantern Technique:

The key is precision. Even small variations in timing can affect plant development, so reliable equipment is essential.