Adv. Hort. Sci., 2020 34(1): 25­33 DOI: 10.13128/ahsc­8253 The effect of different colored netting on AHS quantitative and qualitative traits of two Advances in Horticultural Science foliage plant species (Codiaeum variega‐ tum and Aglaonema commutatum) S.K. Abbasnia Zare 1, S. Sedaghathoor 1 (*), M.N. Padasht Dahkaei 2, D. Hashemabadi 1 1 Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran. 2 Agricultural and Natural Resources Research, Center of Guilan, Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran. Key words: anthocyanin, brix°, croton, photoselective, yellow netting. Abstract: Photoselective netting is a new group of colored netting developing in (*) Corresponding author: the past few decades. The effect of colored (red, green, and yellow) netting was [email protected] studied on physiological traits of Codiaeum and Aglaonema in a trial in Flowers and Ornamental Plants Research Station of Lahijan, north of Iran. The trial was based on a split­plot experiment with two factors. The first factor was devoted Citation: ABBASNIA ZARE S.K., SEDAGHATHOOR S., PADA­ to colored netting at four levels (no netting, green, yellow, and red) and the SHT DAHKAEI M.N., HASHEMABADI D., 2020 ­ The second factor was devoted to plant species at two levels of Codiaeum and effect of different colored netting on quantitative Aglaonema based on a randomized complete block design with three replica­ and qualitative traits of two foliage plant species tions. The results showed the positive effect of yellow netting on improving the (Codiaeum variegatum and Aglaonema commu‐ tatum) ­ Adv. Hort. Sci., 34(1): 25­33. vegetative capability of the plants, so that the highest plant height, shoot and root fresh and dry weight, and leaf area were observed in the plants grown under the yellow netting. Also, the highest anthocyanin, carotenoid contents, Copyright: and catalase activity were obtained from the red netting and the highest Brix° © 2020 Abbasnia Zare S.K., Sedaghathoor S., Padasht Dahkaei M.N., Hashemabadi D. This is an and total chlorophyll from the red and yellow netting. According to the results, open access, peer reviewed article published by the highest vegetative growth rate was related to Codiaeum. The application of Firenze University Press the colored nets provided the plants with more optimal growth conditions. (http://www.fupress.net/index.php/ahs/) and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction 1. Introduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The average number of sunny days in Iran annually amounts to a sig­ nificant value of 280 days, making it unavoidable to use shading to control Data Availability Statement: All relevant data are within the paper and its incident radiation during sunlight exposure (Forghani and Kiani Abri, Supporting Information files. 2005). The concept of photo­selective shade netting was first devised in Israel and was tested on ornamental plants, vegetables, and fruit trees. Competing Interests: Then, the idea gradually spread to the whole world to be applied to vari­ The authors declare no competing interests. ous plants, climatic regions, and agronomic practices (Shahak, 2008). So far, black netting has mostly been used for shading and transparent net­ Received for publication 27 June 2019 ting has been employed for protection against environmental or pest Accepted for publication 31 October 2019 damages. A whole new group of protective nettings has been developed 25 Adv. Hort. Sci., 2020 34(1): 25­33 to manipulate both the quality and quantity of radia­ 2. Materials and Methods tion intercepted by plants and simultaneously pro­ tect them optimally (Shahak et al., 2004 a, b). The effect of colored (red, green, and yellow) net­ The technology of colored nets that selectively fil­ ting was studied on vegetative traits of C. variegatum ters sunlight and physically protects crops is based on and Aglaonema commutatum in Flowers and specific nets in which color elements are used during Ornamental Plants Research Station of Lahijan, north fabrication. This technology seeks to absorb ultravio­ of Iran in the spring and of 2018. The trial was based let, blue, green, yellow, red, far­red, or near­infrared on a split­plot experiment with two factors. The first spectra. The direct light is intended to change into factor was devoted to colored netting at four levels scattered light too. Colored nets can only alter the (no netting, green, yellow, and red) and the second components of sunlight that penetrates through their factor was devoted to plant species at two levels of plastic strings whereas solar rays that go across the C. variegatum and A. commutatum based on a RCBD holes are not manipulated (Shahak et al., 2016). It with three replications. Each experimental plot was has been documented that yellow and red, as well as composed of four plants. The light intensity in cloudy grey, netting can significantly increase the productivi­ days was in the range of 4000­5000 lux, No shade net ty of Capsicum annuum versus black netting. These of 6000 lux and on sunny days in the range of 20,000­ results were attributed to the increased number of 28,000 lux and No shade net of 30,000­35000 lux. fruits in a season in plants subjected to the netting The recorded vegetative parameters included (Shahak et al., 2008). In another study by Shahak et plant growth rate, plant height, shoot and root fresh al. (2016), it was revealed that yellow netting outper­ and dry weight and leaf area. Dry weight was formed red netting in stimulating the vegetative obtained oven­dried at 105°C for 24 h. To determine growth of Pittosporum and among the studied nets, leaf area, the leaves length (L) and widest width (W) yellow netting exhibited much stronger strengthen­ were measured, and the leaf area (A) was calculated ing effects than red netting. Other studies have also by the following equation (Moll and Kamparth, shown that blue netting reduced vegetative growth 1997): and induced dwarfness in leafy ornamental plants A= L x W x 0.75 and cut flowers whereas red and yellow nets that The physiological traits included °Brix, chlorophyll reduced the intensity of blue light induced vegetative a, b and total, carotenoid, anthocyanin, flavonoid, growth in plants (Shahak et al., 2016). Photoselective antioxidant capacity, catalase and peroxidase. The nets can, according to studies, alter shade quality by Brix° of the leaves was measured with an N­1α hand­ scattering light and changing its spectral composition held refractometer (ATAGO Co., Japan). To measure (Shahak et al., 2008). Wang and Folta (2013) report­ chlorophyll contents of the treatments, 0.5 g of sam­ ed that the colored nets had a significant effect on ple was weighed and ground in a mortar containing increasing vegetative growth rate in foliage plants as 50 ml 80% acetone. Then, the extract was infiltrated, compared to the black nets with a similar coefficient adjusted to 50 ml, and poured into cuvettes. To of shading (Oren­Shamir et al., 2001). The results determine chlorophyll content, it was read at 643 showed that the red and white nets increased the and 660 nm with a spectrophotometer. Chlorophyll a yield of Cordyline with respect to plant height, leaf and b and total chlorophyll contents were estimated number, biomass, leaf area, photosynthesis rate, and by the following equations (Mazumdar and harvest index as compared to control. Also, plants Majumder, 2003): under the colored nets exhibited a longer vase life than those in the open air, but there was no signifi­ Total chlorophyll (mg/ml) = 7.12(A660) + 16.8 (A643) cant difference between nets with different colors. Chlorophyll a (mg/ml) = 993(A660) ­ 0.777(A643) According to the results, white and red nets were Chlorophyll b (mg/ml) = 17.6(A643) ­ 2.81(A660) better for the growth of Cordyline (Kumar Gaurav et al., 2016). Since few studies have addressed the To measure the carotenoid level, the treatments effect of colored netting on vegetative and physiolog­ were sampled. Then, 0.5 g was weighed from the ical traits of foliage plants, the present paper sample and was ground in a mortar containing 50 ml explores the impact of color netting on vegetative 80% acetone. Then, it was infiltrated, adjusted to 50 traits of ornamental Codiaeum variegatum and ml , and poured into cuvettes. The extracts were read Aglaonema commutatum plants in Flower and at 645, 663, and 660 nm and were placed in the fol­ Ornamental Plant Research Station of Lahijan, Iran. lowing equation, denoted by A, to determine 26 Abbasnia Zare et al. ‐ Colored netting effects on foliage of Codiaeum variegatum and Aglaonema commutatum A ­ A carotenoid levels of the treatments (Mazumdar and %DPPH = cont samp x 100 A Majumder, 2003): cont Carotenoid level = 4.69(A ) ­ 0.268(A ) + 8.02(A ) 660 643 663 where %DPPH = percent inhibition, A = absorption To measure anthocyanin content, 0.5 of the sam­ cont rate of DPPH, and A = absorption rate (sample + ple was taken and ground in a Chinese mortar con­ samp DPPH). taining 50 ml of hydrochloric­ethanol acid (85% The activity of catalase (CAT) was measured ethanol 95% + 15% hydrochloric acid). Then, it was through the following stages (Dazy et al., 2008): 1 g infiltrated, adjusted to 50 ml , and poured into of plant tissue that had been ground in 4 ml ethanol cuvettes. They were placed in a refrigerator at 4°C for was added with (i) 0.01 mol phosphate buffer (pH = 24 hours followed by 2 hours in darkness. The extract 7), (ii) 0.5 ml H O 0.2 mol, and (iii) 2 ml acid reagent was read at 535 nm with a spectrophotometer and 2 2 (dichromate/acetic acid mixture).