THERMOMORPHOGENIC AND PHOTOPERIODIC REPONSES OF NEPHROLEPIS EXALTATA ‘DALLAS JEWEL’

Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Dallas Jewel’ plants were grown under 2 photoperiods for 92 days under 16 different day/night temperature environments with temperatures ranging form 15 to 30°C. Plant morphology was influenced by both temperature and photoperiod.
Frond length increased from 9.8 to 17.8 cm on plants grown under short days (SD) and 9.3 to 21.9 cm on plants grown under long days (LD) as average daily temperature (ADT) increased from 15 to 30°C. Leaflet number per frond increased from 25 to 37 on plants grown under SD and 23 to 42 on plants grown under LD as ADT increased from 15 to 30°C. Stolon number was greatest on plants grown under SD and was greater when day temperature was less than the night temperature.

Plant development rate was also influenced by temperature and photoperiod.
Frond unfolding rate increased from 0.14 to 0.38 fronds per day on plants grown under SD and 0.07 to 0.26 fronds per day on plants grown under LD as ADT increased from 15 to 30°C.

Therefore, SD grown plants had more fronds which were shorter in length and had fewer leaflets per frond than LD grown plants.
Total leaf area per plant, calculated from leaflet area, leaflet number per frond, and frond number, was not significantly different between SD and LD grown plants.

Symposium on Bedding and Pot Plant Culture

J. Erwin, R. Heins, R. Berghage, B. Kovanda

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.272.36