ISHS Acta Horticulturae 711: V International Symposium on Artificial Lighting in Horticulture
ACCLIMATIZATION OF FICUS BENJAMINA AND SCHEFFLERA ARBORICOLA TO INDOOR TEMPERATURES AND LOW LIGHT INTENSITIES |
| Authors: | A. Kubatsch, H. Grüneberg, C. Ulrichs |
| Keywords: | shoot length, foliation, leaf area, internodes, interior environment |
| Abstract:
This study examined the effects of temperature and photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) as acclimatization treatments on growth of Ficus benjamina and Schefflera arboricola after placement in an interior environment. Plants were exposed for six months to temperatures of 15, 20 and 25 °C combined with PPF of 40, 80 and 180 µmol m-2s-1 for F. benjamina and 10, 20 and 80 µmol m-2s-1 for S. arboricola. After acclimatization, plants were placed indoors at 20 °C and 18 µmol m-2s-1. Shoot length, internode length, foliation, and leaf area of S. arboricola increased when PPF increased. Temperature had a greater effect on shoot length and foliation of F. benjamina than PPF. After six month indoors, growth characteristics of F. benjamina were nearly identical among acclimatization treatments. S. arboricola grown at 10 µmol m-2s-1 developed a significantly lower number of leaves than when grown at 80 µmol m-2s-1. With the exception of S. arboricola at 25 °C and 10 µmol m-2s-1 during acclimatization temperature and PFD treatments enhanced plant quality after placement in interior environments. | |
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