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Light Stress = Red CP's

Light Stress = Red CP's?

Hiya All-

Some of you know, I've have a topic on "Too Much Lumens?" regarding my newly acquired bical going leaf limp.

Well, as my light stress research continued, I came across this artcle:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722105048.htm

I know some of us has CP's growing under long, intense photoperiods and have become beautifully red, but I was wondering if these plants are stressed and are just turning red to compensate for it ???

Hmmmm . . .

E
 
I would guess that excess light is a factor causing stress, but the red pigmentation is an adaptation to resist the stress factor and prevent stress.
 
The thought is that anthocyanin (responsible for the red/purple pigmentation in plants) is analogous to melanin pigments in animals. The increased pigmentation protects the plants cells from damage from sunlight and UV.

The added bonus is that it is also thought the that anthocyanin is attractive to insects whose vision which is sensitive to UV. However a paper I read recently says it is the UV properties of the glands and glandular secretions (including nectar) on Dionaea that insects find attractive more than the anthocyanin. That would explain why my anthocyanin deficient Dionaea catch as many if not more insects than the others.

I wouldn't say a plant is stressed if it turns red while getting the light levels it is adapted to by evolution.
 
I actually aim for colored plants. I used to say "If my plants don't change color then they aren't getting enough light" and I still think that way. My plants are actually coloring up right now under short light hours (9 hrs) and cooler temps. The only plant I ever came across that grew worse (stressed) with more light was N. northiana. However many years I owned the plant (at least 4) it never got bigger than 8". I kept moving it to brighter and brighter conditions in hopes it would do something other than put out another 4" leaf and pitcher. The N. Miranda hybrid next to it in the same conditions under the 400W metal halide you could almost hear growing...
 
DSC_00080001-1.jpg


On the left the plants were grown outside in full sun. Darker red, but shorter plants. On the right they were grown in a lexan greenhouse that was supposed to block 90% of the the UV light. Taller slightly less red.


Mach Fukada
 
Did the plants on the left get wet or something before this picture? They have a lot less dew by the looks of it.

Stress isn't necessarily a bad thing. The plants adapt to the stress and it's not really stressful anymore.
 
Light Stress or Adequate Light?

Careful, be sure you compare apples to apples

Helis are a good example; here is something I posted on another forum in response to a similar question of Heli photoperiod and intensity

As far as length being a substitute for intensity, I don't know. I try to provide both. IMHO the vertical form of Heliamphora is an indicator of light intensity. When the sun is at its highest and most intense, the amount of exposed surface area of the heli is at its lowest. Likewise with the sun at its lowest the exposed surface area of the heli is at its highest. With this logic in mind, length of photoperiod would be a poor replacement for intensity. Based up this structural engineering they are by design constructed for a light intense environment (IMHO). We can see this same design philosophy used by the highland columnar cacti of South America

While my Helis love the top shelf of my plant rack, my Neps cannot handle it. But compare their structural design and it soon becomes obvious that their needs would be different.

You can find a middle ground where most CP's will do well. But if you want to push that envelope. Then yes, you will find the limits of one species or another, even among the same genus

This is also why our plants have developed methodologies to deal with nutrient poor environments. Nature's way of pushing the envelope and finding a solution to an environmental stress.

(there are also isolated field reports of red leafed hamatas, etc.)

Listen to the plant, it will tell you when it's unhappy

Light is but one of many variables that must be in balance.

just my 2 cents :)
Av
 
Well, I think that's what it's all about. It is adequate light, but to a plant not acclimated to higher light (especially one from insufficient light) adapts to the "stress" of more light, and produces anthocyanin, and with that it's no longer stressful.

Whoever said it was analogous to a suntan in humans made a pretty accurate analogy. Minus the cancer lol. I've always said give plants the most light you possibly can. If it's something like Cephalotus, it's sort of a personal preference. Size or color?

Can't wait for my 4 x 24 watt T5's to get here :)
 
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