Foliage plant industry in Sri Lanka often has to face difficulties due to problems associated with the qualities of the final product of plant especially, pale green colour leaves and poor quality shoots, which are not accept by the buyers in export market. An investigation was carried out to develop the green colour and other qualities of Polyscias balfouriana "Marginata" (PBM) using different shade levels within 10 weeks. Canes, 10 cm long were used as planting materials and planted in coir beds under, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 and 95% shade levels. Other qualities evaluated for PBM were shoot length, leaf area, number of leaves per shoot. It was evident that the preferable forest green colour was achieved significantly (p = 0.001) at the highest shade levels of 85 and 90%. The leaf area of 14 cm 2 and, sprout of 7 cm to 7.5 cm length also achieved at highest shade levels of 85% and 90%. Percentage of canes with 3 or more than 3 leaves per shoot was significantly higher than that of canes with less than 3 leaves at shade levels higher than the control. The higher percentage of acceptable canes with 3 or more than 3 leaves was found in shade level of 80%, 85% and 90 %. With these findings it can be concluded that the use of high shade levels such as 85% and 90% at foliage nurseries are favorable to obtain quality PBM plant for export market.

Abstract-The study was aimed at investigating the effectiveness of recovering degraded soil chemical qualities to mitigate the mysterious forest dieback in a montane forest. Soil amendments with standard compost, montane mycorrhizae, standard compost with montane mycorrhizae, and a control were used as treatments. Syzygium rotundifolium saplings were used as the indicator plant. Soil pH, EC, Soluble soil Pb, Cd and soil organic matter was compared at 0.20m soil depth. Foliar samples from "treated" saplings were tested for Pb and Cd. Contamination of soil and leaves of the saplings with Pb (p <0.001) and Cd (p<0.001) was evident. Positive correlations between soil Pb and Cd and leaf Pb and Cd were observed (p=0.001). Soil amendment with compost and montane mycorrhizae reduced the soluble Pb content (p=<0.001). Soil amendment with standard compost and montane mycorrhizae was effective in saving the saplings from Pb and Cd toxicity (p<0.001).Index Terms-Montane forest, forest dieback, soil chemical properties.

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