The Influence of Light on Lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.). I. Influence of Light Intensity on Plant Development1

Abstract

Lily plants were exposed to natural daylight (ND), 50% ND (50% saran), ND plus 16 hours of incandescent (Inc) or ND plus 16 hours of high pressure sodium discharge (HID) lamp light at both University of Minnesota and Michigan State University. Light intensity had no significant horticultural effect on plant development rate that could not be readily explained by temperature. The Inc or HID light source hastened flowering by 5 to 8 days over the ND plants when given from emergence to flower. However, the rate of development from visible bud to flower was not influenced by light intensity. Plant heights were increased by all light treatments when compared to the ND plants. These increases appeared due to photoperiod for the HID treated plants, photoperiod and light quality for the Inc treated plants, and light quantity for the 50% saran-treated plants. The number of flower buds initiated was not affected by light treatment but Inc lighting increased flower bud abortion. Final plant height was highly correlated with height at visible bud; final height being about double the height at visible bud when plants were grown continuously under ND, HID, or 50% saran.