The effects of mepiquat chloride (MC) (0, 500 and 1000 mg l-1) on specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) content of Lantana camara L. plants were examined under 0% and 66% shading levels. All examined parameters and Fe were affected significantly by MC at 66% and 0% shading, respectively. MC decreased SLA of lantana compared to the control (0 mg l-1) irrespective of shading level with no significant differences in general. Increased SLA values were estimated with increased shading. K was increased significantly after spraying with MC at 1000 mg l-1 , to a maximum, at 66% shading, compared to 0 mg l-1. P and Fe contents, in general, augmented as MC concentration increased. Mn remained stable with the increasing MC concentrations at 0% shading. On the other hand, Ca and Mn exhibited a significant peak after spray with MC concentration at 500 mg l-1 , followed by a slight reduction, at the highest concentration, at 66% shading. K, P and Fe, in most cases, increased significantly, while Ca and Mn, in general, decreased, as shading increased. Our results could aid towards a fertilization program for lantana plants.

. 2001. Response of Lantana camara L. subsp. camara to paclobutrazol and shading. Can. J. Plant Sci. 81: 761-764. The effects of several shading materials on the response of Lantana camara L. subsp. camara to paclobutrazol were investigated in 1997 and 1998 under greenhouse conditions in Attica (37°48'20"N, 23°57'48"E), Greece. Treatments were shading (0%, 28% and 65%) and paclobutrazol (0, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg L -1 ) drenches after pinching of the plants.As paclobutrazol concentration increased, plant growth, expressed by the growth index (GI), decreased, at all shading levels. At the same time, the number of flowers per plant increased to a maximum as paclobutrazol concentration increased to 80 mg L -1 . Concentrations above this resulted in a decrease in the number of flowers per plant, at all shading levels. The interaction between shading level and paclobutrazol concentration significantly affected the studied parameters. The growth index increased while the number of flowers per plant decreased as shading increased from 0% to 65%, at all concentration levels examined.Plants treated with paclobutrazol had greener leaves. At higher concentrations, some leaf distortion was noted. The most attractive plants (small with maximum flowering) were obtained with 80 mg L -1 paclobutrazol at 0% shading.

1Lantana camara L. is used extensively in many countries as an ornamental plant species but limited information is provided about the fertilization of this plant, especially after treatments with the triazole paclobutrazol (PBZ). The effects of drenched-applied PBZ at concentrations of 0, 40, and 80 mg L -1 on specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf N, P, K, and Mg concentrations of L. camara L. subsp. camara (lantana) plants were examined under different environmental conditions, resulted from different shading levels, 0% (daily light quantity of 27.8 mol m -2 d -1) and 66% (9.4 mol m -2 d -1 ) in glasshouse experiments in Attica, Greece. The concentration of leaf N was affected by the PBZ treatment (P < 0.01), while the shading level affected K and Mg concentration (P < 0.01). Plants treated with the same PBZ concentration presented higher SLA with 66% shading compared to 0% shading. The more the PBZ concentration, the lower and the higher were the SLA and leaf N respectively, at both shading levels. Leaf P, in general, increased with increasing PBZ concentration and shading as did K and Mg at 66% shading compared to 0% shading. At the end of the experiment all plants were healthy with no visible symptoms of nutritional deficiency. The findings of our study could be useful in establishing a fertilization program for L. camara plants treated with different drenched-applied PBZ concentrations under various environments.

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