Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Growth and visual quality of weeping fig in relation to shading conditions 

Author(s):

Domenica Scuderi, Francesco Giuffrida *, Cherubino Leonardi

Recieved Date: 2013-06-22, Accepted Date: 2013-09-10

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and visual quality of weeping fig (Ficus benjamina L.) ‘Danielle’ in relation to different shading conditions (reductions of 50, 58, 66, 80 and 86% of the incident irradiation outside of the greenhouse). The increase of shading from 50 to 86% resulted in a reduction of the daily growth rate of approximately 42%; this reduction was proportional in both the shoots and roots. Shading, modifying certain biometric characteristics of the canopy (e.g. internode length, first-order insertion angle on the main stem, leaf number and unit leaf area), affected the visual quality of the plants. In particular the more-shaded plants (86%) exhibited a more open canopy and thus a reduced foliage density (19% compared to the 50% shaded plants). This reduction was mainly related to the modification of the insertion angle of first-ordered branches, which increased from 38.6° to 46.4° as the shading level increased. Additionally, the highest shading level (86%) resulted in a greater unit leaf area that compensated for the reduction of the leaf number (40%) in terms of the total leaf area. Furthermore, the highest shading level positively influenced certain parameters, such as the plant shape (lower height/width ratio) and leaf characteristics (greater unit area, flat stereometry and dark green colour), which are important parameters in determining the visual quality of ornamental foliage plants. Our results showed that the choice of shading level for weeping fig production could consider besides the effects on growth and indoor acclimatisation, also those on plants visual quality responding to defined market requirements

Keywords:

Ficus benjamina L., foliage plants, irradiance, shading nets, plant architecture, foliage density, canopy shape, branch insertion angle, leaf lamina, chlorophyll content

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2013
Volume: 11
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 1828-1832

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :