Growth performance of ornamental foliage plants under different shade intensity

Introduction

Plants are autotrophic organisms capable of synthesizing their own food through photosynthesis. Their ecological roles extend beyond food production to regulating atmospheric gases, sequestering carbon dioxide, and releasing life-sustaining oxygen. Urban ecosystems, due to intense anthropogenic activity and unchecked infrastructure development, have witnessed a sharp decline in vegetative cover. This, in turn, has led to environmental challenges such as the urban heat island effect, deteriorating air quality, and loss of biodiversity (Wong et al., 2003) [14] . Cut foliage and quality indoor plants have a great opportunity in the local as well as foreign markets and can play a valuable role in the economic upliftment of the farmers (El-Ghait et al., 2012) [3] . The use of these bio-degradable decorative foliage's as fillers in bouquet making has increased substantially from 5% to 20-25% (Bhattacharjee, 2006). In India, commercial production of cut foliage has flourished in recent years because of its huge demand, especially during festivals and annual events. The floricultural sector relies heavily on ornamental foliage plants, which are mostly used as fillers in flower arrangements for adornment. Indoor plants provide arrangements and exhibit a fresh, colorful, and varied feel. In recent years, India has begun the commercial manufacturing of cut foliage plants, which are in high demand on the market. The cut foliage's may be produced all year round with little upkeep and expenditure. In general, plants with beautiful leaves thrive in partial shade and produce foliage all year round. Some decorative, vegetable, and even fruit crops have previously been tested using the colored shade netting method of covered agriculture. Regardless of colour, providing shade nets will lower radiation that reaches the crops below and is directly correlated to the shade factor and change the micro-environment. Due to easy monitoring, consistent seedling growth, a lower incidence of pests and diseases, and a lower mortality rate, these nurseries are raised in protected structures (Patil et al., 2017) [6] . Red Acalypha, Green Acalypha, Malphigia, Arelia, Croton and Coleus are important woody ornamental plants in the world trade and used worldwide for their beautiful foliage's. High grade quality foliage and healthy ornamental plants fetch more price and demand in the market. Today's lucrative business is ornamental plant nurseries, which include a wide variety of nurseries based on wholesale or retail, indoor/shade-loving plants, tissue culture plants, commercial flowering plants, shrub, climber, and tree seedlings for landscaping, annual plants, bulbous flowers, etc. Nurseries should be able to produce and deliver the needed quantity of seedlings at the appropriate time in the event of a sudden surge or drop in demand (Ashoka et al., 2019) [2] . These nurseries are doing well across the nation. Efficient and affordable shade structures facilitate the nurserymen in production of quality planting material so that they can get more profit. Use of different coloured shade nets improves the quality and production of cut greens and indoor plants. During the last decades, due to increased air temperature and intensity of solar radiation caused by climate changes, an increasing area of crops is being grown under shading materials of various types. Nets are commonly used in agricultural crops for specific modification of sunlight, improving microenvironment, and providing physical protection. They not only decrease light quantity but also alters light quality to a varying extent and also change other environmental conditions (Smith et al., 11) [9] . Cut greens grown under different shade-net gave better performance in terms of plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area, number of roots, etc. compared to control. Nettings, regardless of colour, reduce radiation reaching crops underneath which is directly proportional to the shade factor and modify microenvironment. Keeping these facts in view the present study was undertaken to observe the production and quality of dracaena under different colour shade-nets. Cut greens are an important component of the floricultural industry and are largely used for decoration as a-filler in floral compositions. They provide freshness, colour and variety to various decorations, arrangements and bouquets. Foliage plants are one of the important cut greens and are used widely for its beautiful foliage. Nets are commonly used in agricultural crops for specific modification of sunlight, improving microenvironment, and providing physical protection. They not only decrease light quantity but also alters light quality to a varying extent and also change another environment. Nets have three major uses in horticulture (i) shading, for protection from too much solar radiation; (ii) protection from environmental hazards such as strong winds, hail and sand storms; (iii) protection from flying pests like birds, fruit bats, etc. Study the effect of different shade levels on the growth and biomass production potential of Cactus (Opuntia ficus (L.) Mill.) under the arid Kachchh, Gujarat. Cactus in pots were grown for twelve months under 25, 50 and 75% shade; along with under full sun control. (Abhay K. G.et al., 2015) [1] Shade net has been found to improve vegetative growth, yield, vase life and quality (Stamps 1997) [10] of cut foliage. Shade level significantly affected plant response; the shading improved plant characters like height, number of leaves, leaf area, and overall plant weight. However, plant survival decreases at under high shade level (75%), mainly due to rotting. The plants grown in 25% and 50% shade levels produced the highest leaf area, no. of leaves and biomass than plants subjected to 75% shade and control. Plants grown under 75% shade level were taller, due to more longitudinal and less wide leaves (cladodes) along with more root length. Overall, up to 50% shading was found best for horti-based or agroforestry-based cactus pear cultivation or intercropping (Dev et al., 2018) [7] . By keeping all these views in front, experiment entitled "growth performance of ornamental foliage plants under different shade intensity" carried out with following objectives. a. To find out the effect of shade conditions on sprouting. b. To find out the effect of shade conditions on growth performance of ornamental foliage plants.

c. To find out optimum shade conditions for foliage plants.

Material and Methods

The field experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Mulde for successive three years (2020-2023) and laid out in Split plot design along with 4 green colour shade net conditions (main treatments) and 06 woody foliage plants (sub treatments) and replicated twice.

Results and Discussion

Days required for sprouting

It is revealed from Table 1 that days required for sprouting of different woody foliage plants was varied significantly among different shade conditions. In case of shade conditions significantly the lowest days required for sprouting (45.50 days) was noticed in the M 1 (25% shade net). Further, the highest days required for sprouting observed in M 4 -Control (71.06 days,). Thus, the days for sprouting increased with increase in shade conditions. Among in different woody foliage plants, significantly the lowest days required for sprouting (39.42 days) was noticed in P 2 (green acalypha), while the highest days required for sprouting (96.17 days) observed in P 5 (croton). In case of interaction effect significantly lowest days required for sprouting (22.17 days) was recorded with coleus under 25%. Whereas, significantly highest days required for sprouting (131.83 days) was recorded with croton under open condition. Similar results were found by Dev et al., (2018) [7] .

Plant height

It is revealed from [13] , Dev et al., (2018) [7] Plant spread It is observed from [4] , Vethamoni and Natarajan (2008) [12] , Haque et al., (2009) [5] and Rajasekar et al., (2013) [8] , Yasoda P. G. C et al., (2018) [13] , Dev et al., (2018) [7]

Number of branches

It is observed from (2012) [15] Survival (%) It is noticed from

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