Acclimatization Potential of Dracaena Sanderiana ‘Victory’ to Contrasting Light Environments

The present study was conducted to ascertain the ability of Dracaena sanderiana ‘Victory’, a foliage plant species of commercial importance in both domestic and international markets, to thrive under contrasting light environments. The experiment was carried out inside a semi-open greenhouse in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Same-sized and same-aged, ready-to-ship export quality plugs of Dracaena sanderiana ‘Victory’ were grown in plastic pots filled with the standard medium for foliage plants recommended by the Department of Agriculture. The plants were exposed to four different light treatments: Full sunlight, 15% shade under a green net, and 50% and 80% shade under a black net. Morphological and growth-related parameters were measured, and an aesthetic evaluation was done to verify the overall conformity of plants until 100 days after planting with every 20-day intervals. ‘Victory’ showed variable responses to different light conditions where leaf-related parameters were significantly altered, while the relative growth rate was kept uniform across light environments. Weight ratios that reflect the dry matter partitioning were unchanged. Most of the responses under the black net (50% shade) were comparable to those under the green net (15% shade), where the R: FR ratio was reduced. It was found that the plants could easily be acclimatized to the light conditions used in the present study. Interestingly, this cultivar scored more than 80% in the aesthetic evaluation for any given light condition, which indicates the potential of using this cultivar in heterogeneous light environments while keeping the aesthetic appearance unaltered.