Abstract
The effects of low light intensity treatment and period of treatment on the flowering and cut flower quality of Limonium sinense hybrid were investigated. In an experiment using phytotron, low light intensity treatment (photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) 163 μmol·m−2·s−1) from 21 or 28 days after planting (16 or six days before bolting, respectively) increased the number of days from bolting to flowering and cut flower length as compared to those of plants grown under standard light intensity (PPFD 359 μmol·m−2·s−1). It seemed that the delayed flowering allowed greater elongation of the stalk by increasing the growing time. In the field experiment, treatment of 50% shading for four weeks from 30 or 32 days after planting (five or two days before bolting, respectively) also increased the days from bolting to flowering and cut flower length. Shading from five days before bolting was more effective than that starting two days before. In conclusion, shading for four weeks in summer from five to 15 days before bolting may be a method of improving cut flower quality in autumn.
