Effects of ChromatiNet on Cut Snapdragons and Selected Bedding and Vegetable Crops

Abstract

The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the application of ChromatiNet as a growth modifying photoselective filter. The first study investigated three cultivars of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) as cut flowers in a high tunnel. The objective was to determine which ChromatiNet color would increase stem length because longer snapdragon stems receive a higher price in the marketplace. The snapdragons received four ChromatiNet colors (blue, grey, red, or pearl), black shade, or ambient light. The longest stems were under pearl and red ChromatiNet in ‘Potomac Pink’ and ‘Potomac Royal’ and under black shade in ‘Potomac Yellow’. While the first study was on cut flower stem elongation, subsequent studies were concentrated on producing more compact bedding plants. Commercial markets require growers of bedding plants to produce a product with uniform height that meets preset specifications. In chapter three, four ChromatiNet colors (blue, grey, red, or pearl), black shade, or ambient light were used in two studies to investigate growth responses of bedding and vegetable plants, Brassica oleracea, Capsicum annuum, Dianthus barbatus, Impatiens walleriana, Ipomoea tricolor, Lactuca sativa, Lycopersicon lycopersicum, Petunia floribunda, Salvia farinacea, Solenostemon scutellarioides, Viola cornuta, Viola ×wittrockiana. In the first experiment, the shortest shoots were under ambient light and the tallest shoots were under red and pearl ChromatiNet. In general, grey ChromatiNet, black shade, and ambient light produced the most compact plants and red and pearl ChromatiNet produced the least compact plants. In the second experiment, the shortest shoots were under the black shade and grey ChromatiNet and tallest shoots were under pearl and red ChromatiNet and ambient light. Black shade consistently produced a smaller growth index and pearl ChromatiNet consistently produced a larger growth index. In chapter four, Antirrhinum majus, Ageratum houstonianum, Brassica oleracea, Celosia argentea, Dianthus barbatus, Ipomoea tricolor, Lycopersicon lycopersicum, and Viola ×wittrockiana were used. In general, black shade produced the shortest plants and red and pearl ChromatiNet produced the tallest plants. However, no one treatment consistently maintained the shortest or the tallest plants from week to week. In general, black shade resulted in the smallest growth index and ambient light resulted in the largest. Black shade produced the lowest shoot dry weights in all species and ambient light produced the greatest shoot dry weights in all but one species, celosia. Further studies need to be conducted evaluating the effect of light intensity and the density of ChromatiNet on plant response.