Influence of Carbon dioxide on morpho-physiological traits of two ornamental Ficus species (Ficus benjamina and Ficus elastica) under greenhouse conditions

Carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment in greenhouses could be used for reduction of production time and increasing plant growth and quality. To evaluate the effects of different concentrations of CO2 on growth traits of two ornamental Ficus species (Ficus benjamina and Ficus elastica), a split plot experiment, based on completely randomized design with three replications, was conducted in the greenhouse of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Treatments included two species of ornamental Ficus (Ficus benjamina and Ficus elastica) and three concentrations of CO2 (380 (control), 700 and 1050 mg/L). The results showed that with increasing CO2 concentration from 380 mg/L to 1050 mg/L, number of leaves and leaf area were significant at 5% probability level and root/shoot ratio, fresh weight of shoots and plant height were significant at 1% level. Interaction of Ficus species and CO2 concentration was not significant in all traits. In general, increasing CO2 concentration was effective on improvement of physiological and morphological traits of these two ornamental Ficus species.