This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Herath, H. M. W. Articles by Ormrod, D. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Herath, H. M. W. Articles by Ormrod, D. P. Agricola Articles by Herath, H. M. W. Articles by Ormrod, D. P.

Articles

Photosynthetic Rates of Citronella and Lemongrass ¹

^a Department of Agricultural Biology, University of Sri Lanka, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Ten selections of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus [L.] Rendle) were grown at 32/27, 27/21, or 15/10 C day/night temperatures, and plants from three populations of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus [D.C.] Stapf from Japan or Sri Lanka and Cymbopogon flexuosus [D.C.] Stapf from India) were grown at 8- or 15-hour photoperiods. Net photosynthetic rates of mature leaves were measured in a controlled environment at 25 C and 260 microeinsteins per meter² per second. Rates declined with increasing leaf age, and from the tip to the base of the leaf blade. Rates for citronella leaves grown at 15/10 C were extremely low for all selections. Highest rates of net photosynthesis were recorded for four selections grown at 27/21 C and for two selections grown at 32/27 C. Lemongrass grown at 8-hour photoperiod had higher photosynthetic rates than that grown at 15-hour photoperiod.

¹ This work was supported by the National Research Council of Canada, Canadian International Development Agency and the National Science Council of Sri Lanka.