COMPARISON OF GREEN AND VARIEGATED FOLIAGE PLANT SPECIES BASED ON CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE PARAMETERS UNDER DIFFERENT LIGHT INTENSITIES

Abstract

To compare green and variegated foliage plants namely; Hedera helix, Ardisia pusilla and Scindapsus aureus were treated under three different light intensities (2, 10 and 20 µmol·m-2·s-1) using florescent lights for three months, and photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll content were measured. IMAGING-PAM chlorophyll fluorescence system was used to determine photosynthetic characteristics. The results showed that Fv/Fm (maximal PS-II quantum yield) and Y (II) (effective PS-II quantum yield) values were lower in variegated species compared to those in green species at 2 µmol·m2 ·s-1 light intensity. Although, Fv/Fm and Y (II) values in variegated S. aureus was lower than variegated H. helix, but variegated S. aureus survived and Hedera helix plants died after low light treatment. In contrast, Fv/Fm and Y (II) values were increased in green and variegated species with increasing the light intensity, except Fv/Fm value for variegated S. aureus which was slightly decreased at 20 µmol·m-2·s-1 light intensity. The ETR (electron transport rate) value was also lower in both green and variegated species at 2 µmol·m-2·s-1 intensity. ETR values saturated in green and variegated plants with increasing the light intensity. Higher level of chlorophyll was obtained in green species compared to variegated species for both low and high light intensity treatments. Chlorophyll content in green species decreased at 20 µmol·m-2·s-1 light intensity, whereas in variegated species, chlorophyll content increased with increasing the light intensities. The results of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters showed that especially low light intensity created stress condition in variegated foliage plants compared to green plants, and affected the normal growth and development.