Effects of light intensity and quality on the obligate shade plantAglaonema commutatum.I. Leaf size and leaf shape

Abstract

The effect of different light intensities and light qualities were studied on Aglaonema commutatum plants grown in controlled environments. Three light intensities—2.7, 5.4 and 20.0 junolm-2s-1 provided by two light sources (fluorescent and blended-light lamps) were tested on two plant materials of different size. When plants completed their adaptation to low light intensities (2.7 and 5.4 umol m“2s_1) readaptation to high irradiances (20.0 (xmol m-2s_1) was studied. Ten to twelve months were required for a leaf initiated in each light treatment to become fully expanded. The adaptation of this species to low light was far slower than other sun- or shade-plants. Plants grown at 2.7 |xmol m-2s~‘ expanded smaller and thinner leaves, with lower length: width ratio. These responses were affected by the size of the primordia at the beginning of the light treatments. Light quality affected these too but the responses were weak and lacked a defined pattern. The readaptation to high light intensity of plants adapt...