STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE FOLIAGE PLANT ACCLIMATIZATION TO INTERIOR LANDSCAPE
Interiorscaping has become an integral part of contemporary life and the role of plants as living air purifiers and reducing psychological stress associated with high population densities is becoming more relevant.
Ornamental foliage plants are widely used in interiorscaping due to their adaptation to low light levels after appropriate acclimatization.
For this reason these plants are usually produced under shade.
With the aim of investigating the effect of shading levels and their duration on the quality and performance of weeping fig and garden croton in a simulated interior environment, plants were grown in pots for three months under 50, 70 and 90% shading. After this period, half of the plants belonging to 50 and 70% shading levels were transferred to 90% shade for two further months. At the end of cultivation plants were transferred to a characteristic interior environment (low light and RH) and kept there for eight weeks. Tested species showed different responses in relation to previous cultivation conditions. For both species, more shaded plants (70 and 90%), showed higher net photosynthesis than the other treatments. Nevertheless, weeping fig showed better adaptation to interior conditions if the plants were transferred to the highest shading level only during the last period of cultivation. On the contrary plants of garden croton grown under low light intensity during all or a part of the cycle had higher aesthetic characteristics values during indoor life.
With the aim of investigating the effect of shading levels and their duration on the quality and performance of weeping fig and garden croton in a simulated interior environment, plants were grown in pots for three months under 50, 70 and 90% shading. After this period, half of the plants belonging to 50 and 70% shading levels were transferred to 90% shade for two further months. At the end of cultivation plants were transferred to a characteristic interior environment (low light and RH) and kept there for eight weeks. Tested species showed different responses in relation to previous cultivation conditions. For both species, more shaded plants (70 and 90%), showed higher net photosynthesis than the other treatments. Nevertheless, weeping fig showed better adaptation to interior conditions if the plants were transferred to the highest shading level only during the last period of cultivation. On the contrary plants of garden croton grown under low light intensity during all or a part of the cycle had higher aesthetic characteristics values during indoor life.
Scuderi, D., Li Rosi, A., Toscano, S. and Romano, D. (2010). STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE FOLIAGE PLANT ACCLIMATIZATION TO INTERIOR LANDSCAPE. Acta Hortic. 881, 669-674
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.881.110
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.881.110
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.881.110
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.881.110
Ficus benjamina L., Codiaeum variegatum (L) A. Juss., foliage plants, leaf drop, gas exchange
English