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UV Light for Mold Control in Indoor Medical Marijuana Gardens

Article · April 2016

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Aerobiological Engineering Report 16414

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT FOR MOLD CONTROL IN

INDOOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA GARDENS
Mold and mildew can develop in both indoor and outdoor gardens but tends to be more
devastating indoors, and can wipe out an entire crop if it is not controlled. Ultraviolet (UV)
light can be used to eradicate mold spores that accumulate on floors or that spread via air
currents. The primary mold spore of concern is usually Botrytis cinerea, a ubiquitous fungi
that often contaminates soil and is easily brought indoors on shoes and clothing (see Figure
1). It is often referred to as “powdery mildew” and is also called “gray mold rot” or “grey
mold” or “botrytis spots” or “storage rot” and is one of the most common fungal diseases of
bell peppers. It causes decay of plants and is absolutely and rapidly destructive of cannabis
buds.
Botrytis cinerea occurs as a spore and it is hardy and rather resistant to UV, and
therefore requires a high UV dose to sterilize. There are some other mold and mildews that
cause problems, but if a system is designed to control Botrytis then it will likely be effective
at controlling other fungal contaminants.

Figure 1: Botrytis cinerea, the leading cause of mold damage in medical marijuana. Left
shows sporulating mycelia. Middle shows mycelial cells. Right shows a mature bud with
browning that indicates mold has penetrated deep inside the bud. First two images reprinted
courtesy of Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

There are three approaches using ultraviolet (UV) light that can be used to control
mold in indoor gardens and these include UV surface disinfection systems, UV air
disinfection systems, and UV shoe/footwear disinfection systems. In addition, the air quality
inside the grow room can be controlled using air filtration and positive pressurization.
A number of studies have been performed on Botrytis cinerea in which ultraviolet
irradiation has been used to disinfect surfaces and plants of the spores. Many of these
studies involved postharvest treatment of fruits to control decay and this approach has been
shown to have limited effectiveness. The postharvest irradiation of strawberries decreased
the decay initially but after some period of time (i.e. 12-48 hours) the mold returned.
Two studies have been performed in which the survival of Botrytis cinerea spores
under UV irradiation has been evaluated. Mercier et al (2001) used UVC irradiation in the

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Aerobiological Engineering Report 16414

range of 400-4500 J/m2 using a General Electric G3T8 UV lamp (probably a G30T8 lamp
with 30 W of UV output) in an attempt to control the decay caused by Botrytis cinerea on
Bell peppers. Spore germination was inhibited both in vivo and in vitro with spore survival
rates of 0-5% after a total UV dose of 4400 J/m2. The in vitro results indicate a two-stage
decay curve but the in vivo results did not extend far enough to describe a second stage of
decay. Figure 2 summarizes the results of these tests.
Latorre et al (2012) tested the effectiveness of UVA, UVB, and UVC irradiation on
Botrytis cinerea and found UVC to be by far the most effective spectrum. They employed a
Philips model F15T 8BLB with 20 W of UV output. Results indicated zero survival of conidia
(spores) at the highest UV dose of 1100 J/m 2. The results of this study are also summarized
in Figure 2 alongside the results from Mercier. The results from Latorre also showed a two
stage decay curve and results of all three studies are relatively similar. Marquenie (2002)
irradiated Botrytis cinerea spores using five fluorescent UV lamps of 8 W UV output each
and the results show a single stage curve up to the maximum tested dose of 1000 J/m2.

Mercier 2001 in vitro

0.1

Mercier 2001 in vivo

Survival

0.01
Latorre 2012

0.001
Marquenie

0.0001
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
2
UV Dose, J/m

Figure 2: Survival of Botrytis cinerea spores after exposure to UV irradiation. Test results
are shown by the markers. Modeling results are shown by lines.

The model used to interpret the decay of accounts for two populations – one which
decays fast under UV exposure and one which decays more slowly. The equation used for
modeling the data is as follows:

( ) ( ) ( )

Where f = resistant fraction of population

D = UV dose, J/m2
kf = fast decay population

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Aerobiological Engineering Report 16414

ks = slow decay population

In Figure 2 the second stage of the Mercier in vitro data has been extended by
assumption. The first stage of decay, which is often the most important in disinfection
applications varies from kf = 0.0022 – 0.0093 m2/J. The mean value for the first stage
decay constant of Botrytis cinerea is therefore k = 0.0052 m2/J. The range of D90 values, or
the dose required for 90% disinfection of spores is approximately 440-2000 J/m2. This
range of UV susceptibilities compares well with other fungal spores such as Aspergillus or
Penicillium (Kowalski 2009).
Given that the decay rate constant of Botrytis cinerea is approximately k=0.0052
2
m /J, we can design a UV lighting system capable of producing the required dosage within
some definable amount of time. Let us assume a two stage decay curve with the
parameters from a model based on Latorre’s data but extended per the Mercier models,
where f = 0.02, kf = 0.0064 m2/J, and ks = 0.0002 m2/J:

( ) ( ) ( )

Take as an example a G64T6 lamp with 25 W of UV output. At a distance of 6 inches

from the lamp axis the irradiance level will be approximately 17.86 W/m2, based on the
author’s UV lamp model (Kowalski 2009). Figure 3 illustrates the decay of Botrytis cinerea
under this level of irradiance, which requires only minutes to achieve a 99% reduction,
which may be adequate for regular treatment of a grow room (i.e. each day or each week).

Irradiance = 17.86 W/m2

0.1
Survival

0.01

0.001
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Time, minutes

Figure 3: Survival of Botrytis cinerea under UV irradiance, 6” distance from a G64T6 UV

lamp, based on the model equation shown above.

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Aerobiological Engineering Report 16414

Both UVA (320-400 nm) and UVB (280-320) have been tested for their ability to
reduce Botrytis cinerea contamination and although they have some effect, these UV
wavelengths are far less effective than UVC (200-280 nm) (Costa 2013, Latorre 2012). Even
so, there may be some advantage in the use of UVA & UVB if the exposure is very long term
or even continuous. Sunlight contains a small amount of UVA and a well-exposed outdoor
garden may benefit naturally from solar exposure, enhanced or otherwise.
Botrytis cinerea hails from the outdoors and is brought into indoor grow rooms via
the air currents and by shoes and clothing. It is important that workers in indoor grow
rooms clean and decontaminate themselves prior to entry. Normal disinfection procedures
such as are used in hospital environments can be adapted for grow rooms. Ideally, a
growing facility will have an anteroom where workers can change clothes and disinfect
themselves. The use of bleach and other disinfectants are a practical means of
decontaminating grow rooms and equipment. One new technological development that may
be very useful is a UV system (see Figure 4) that disinfects the soles of shoes.

Figure 4: The Healthy Sole footwear decontamination system. Image provided courtesy of
Healthy Sole, LLC (www.healthysoleplus.com).

Area disinfection units employing UV and pulsed UV light are available for health care
applications and these can be employed in grow rooms for decontamination, but UV can be
damaging to plants and so these system must be used with care and caution. UV systems
for disinfecting floors, though not in common use, can also be applied to grow rooms since
the fungal spores tend to settle to the floors. Hand-held UV units are currently available for
use in indoor gardens to control Botrytis but the effectiveness of this approach is not known
(Clean Light 2016). However, based on the studies in the references in which UV was used

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Aerobiological Engineering Report 16414

to disinfect fruit surfaces it could be assumed that the effect is both limited and temporary
(Heuvelink 2006, Nigro 1998 & 2000, Latorre 2012, Mercier 2001).
Other methods may be used to control Botrytis cinerea, including traditional
fungicides, but some of these methods may leave hazardous residues which are not suitable
for consumption by seriously ill patients (Cervantes 2006). Organic methods are also under
study including the use of competing or parasitical microorganisms (Wu 2013, Schumacher
2011, Costa 2013).
In addition to ultraviolet light, air filtration is another practical alternative that can
maintain the indoor growing area free of airborne fungal spores. Botrytis cinerea spores are
approximately 11-12 microns in diameter (Gull 1971) and this size spore will be easily
removed at very high rates (near 100%) by filters rated MERV 12 and higher. Even dust
filters of the lowest rating (MERV 6-8) may remove 50% of the spores from the air and with
multiple passes (via recirculated air) spores may be completely removed (Kowalski 2006 &
2009). Botrytis cinerea spores are ubiquitous in outdoor air and are found as common
contaminants in about half of indoor environments in the USA with mean concentrations of
about 45-49 CFU/m3 (Shelton 2002).
The design of indoor grow rooms for medical marijuana is critical to the control of
airborne fungal spores and although most existing growhouses are poorly suited to prevent
the ingress of fungal spores, they can usually be retrofitted with air filters, fans, and UV
systems to render them relatively free of spores. It is important, however, that the growing
facility be air tight and under positive pressure to maintain the high levels of cleanliness
necessary to avoid outbreaks of mold. And ideally, every growhouse should have a
pressurized anteroom in which worker access will not cause spores to enter from the
outdoors. Operating protocols and regular decontamination are necessary, however, to
ensure high levels of cleanliness and disinfection.

References

Boyd-Wilson, K., Perry, J., and Walter, M. (1998). "Persistence and survival of saprophytic fungi
antagonistic to Botrytis cinerea on kiwifruit leaves." Proc of the 51st Conf of the New Zealand
Plant Prot Soc, Inc., 96-101.
Cervantes, G. (2006). Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Guide. Van Patten
Publishing,
Cleanlightdirect (2016). "Kill powdery mildew and budrot with UV light." Clean Light. www.cleanlight.nl.
Costa, L., Rangel, D. E. N., Morandi, M. A. B., and Bettiol, W. (2013). "Effects of UV-B radiation on the
antagonistic ability of Clonostachys rosea to Botrytis cinerea on strawberry leaves." Biological
Control 65, 95-100.
Gull, K., and Trinci, A. P. J. (1971). "Fine Structure of Spore Germination in Botrytis cinerea." J Gen
Microbiol 68, 207-220.
Heuvelink, E. (2006). "Reducing Botrytis in greenhouse crops: periodic UV-light treatment in tomato
plants." , Wageningen University, Horticultural Production Chains, Wageningen, Netherlands.
Kowalski, W. J., Bahnfleth, W. P., Witham, D. L., Severin, B. F., and Whittam, T. S. (2000). "Mathematical
modeling of UVGI for air disinfection." Quantitative Microbiology 2(3), 249-270.
Kowalski, W. J. (2006). Aerobiological Engineering Handbook: A Guide to Airborne Disease Control
Technologies. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Kowalski, W. J. (2009). Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Handbook: UVGI for Air and Surface
Disinfection. Springer, New York.
Latorre, B. A., S. Rojas, G.A. Diaz, H. Chuaqui (2012). "Germicidal effect of UV light on epiphytic fungi
isolated from bleberry." Cien Inv Agr 39(3), 473-480.

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Marquenie, D., Lammertyn, J., Geeraerd, A., Soontjens, C., VanImpe, J., Nicolai, B., and Michiels, C.
(2002). "Inactivation of conidia of Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia fructigena using UV-C and heat
treatment." Int J Food Microbiol 74, 27-35.
Mercier, J., Baka, M., Reddy, B., Corcuff, R., and Arul, J. (2001). "Shortwave Ultraviolet Irradiation for
Control of Decay Caused by Botrytis cinerea in Bell Pepper: Induced Resistance and Germicidal
Effects." J Amer Soc Hort Sci 126(1), 128-133.
Nigro, F., Ippolito, A., and Lima, G. (1998). "Use of UV-C to reduce Botrytis storage rot of table grapes."
Postharvest Biol & Technol 13, 171-181.
Nigro, F., Ippolito, A., Lattanzio, V., DiVenere, D., and Salerno, M. (2000). "Effect of ultraviolet light on
postharvest decay of strawberry." J Plant Path 82(1), 29-37.
Schumacher, J., and Tudzynski, P. (2011). "Morphogenesis and Pathogenicity in Fungi." Current
Genetics 22, 225-241.
Shelton, B. G., Kirkland, K. H., Flanders, W. D., and Morris, G. K. (2002). "Profiles of Airborne Fungi in
Buildings and Outdoor Environments in the United States." Appl & Environ Microbiol 68(4), 1743-
1753.
Wu, Q., Bai, L., Liu, W., Li, Y., Lu, C., Li, Y., Fu, K., Yu, C., and Chen, J. (2013). "Construction of a
Streptomyces lydicus A01 transformant with a chit42 gene from Trichoderma harzianum P1 and
evaluation of its biocontrol activity against Botrytis cinerea." Microbial Genetics 51(2), 166-173.

Report prepared by
Dr. Wladyslaw Kowalski
Aerobiological Engineering, LLC
39413 6th Ave
Bloomingdale, MI 49026
(269) 521 6636
wallykowalski007@gmail.com
drkowalski@aerobiologicalengineering.com

Consultant to the grow lighting and UV lighting industry.

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