THE ROLE OF LIGHT REGIME AND SUBSTRATE IN PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS, FREE PROLINE CONTENT AND FLOWER QUALITY OF GERBERA JAMESONII L

The research of light and substrate role in leaf photosynthetic pigments, free proline content and flower quality indices in two gerbera cultivars (Vino and Ruby Red) showed that flower stems were longer in additional lighting treatment, coco’s peat amended with rice chaff and cultivar Ruby Red. Chlorophyll b concentration was in negative relation to leaf proline content and correlated to longer flower stems. In general, the higher leaf total chlorophyll concentration was related to longer stems, and such stems have had larger flower heads. Flower head diameter did not differ significantly between cultivars; it depended on light regime, substrate and their interaction.