Effects of the light of the fluorescent lamps on cultured plants and their storage were investigated by the writers through a series of experiments.
Used as a supplementary light in the early spring cultivation, the fluorescent lamp of day light character can promote the growth of Kubota egg-plants and tomatoes, acceleratingtheir germination in nursery bed by about 2 weeks. Some plants such as leek do grow even in winterwhen cultivated in a windowless room provided with the fluorescent lighting.
With regard to the storage of plants and suppression of germination, experimentshave been conducted with stone-leeks, potatoes, yams, onions, etc. Stone-leeks which have been set up temporary in ground under roof effectively grow in the fluorescent light in winter in Yamagata, which is located in the northernmost part of the mainland of Japan. It has been also confirmed that the flunrescent light suppresses the germination of potatoes to some extent in the early spring germination period and gives the same effect as the sun light. Further, the ultra-violet light from a high pressure mrcury arc lamp has been found to be more effective than the fluorescent light so far as the suppression of germination of yams and onions is conceaned.
