Abstract:

Fourteen kinds of light-medium were produced using the pearlite, sawdust, peat soil and corn shell as material with the simplex centroid mixture design. The growth (height, basal diameter, leaf number and biomass) and leaf physiological characteristics of the container seedlings were investigated to estimate the effect of the 14 media on Ficus concinna var. subsessilis, with a traditional medium served as the control. The results showed that the 14 media significantly influenced the growth and leaf physiological characteristics of the container seedlings. The growth of the seedlings in media No.5, 6 and 8 were significantly better than that in the traditional medium. However, the seedling growth in media No.3, 12 and 14 was opposite. The chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate (P_n) of the container seedlings in media No.5, 6 and 8 were significantly higher than the control, while the carotenoid, P_n and non-photochemical quenching of fluorescence of the ones in media No.3, 12 and 14 were significantly lower than the control. Moreover, the production rate of O₂^－· of the seedlings in media No.3, 12 and 14 were significantly higher than the control. The decreased photosynthetic capacities were considered as a result of the deficiency of photosynthetic pigments and declined activity of photosynthetic apparatus. The excess excitation energies were not be safely dissipated by non-radiative energies, and induced the overproduction of O₂^－·, which caused membrane lipid peroxidation and damage of photosynthetic apparatus, and reduced the photosynthetic capacities of the seedlings. The analyses of the growth and leaf physiological characteristics of the container seedlings suggested that the media No.5, 6 and 8 are better light-medium than the other ones as the container nursery of F. concinna var. subsessilis.

Key words: medium, Ficus concinna var. subsessilis, container seedling, physiological characteristic, photosynthesis