All Issue

2026 Vol.39, Issue 3 Preview Page
Effects of Different Shading Levels on Growth and Physiological Responses of Neolitsea sericea (Blume) Koidz. Seedlings
Ji Seon Lee1
,
Eun-Young Yim2
1Master’s Researcher, Warm-Temperate and Subtropical Forest Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, Jeju 63582, Korea
2Researcher, Warm-Temperate and Subtropical Forest Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, Jeju 63582, Korea
*Corresponding Author
1 June 2026. pp. 170-177
PDF XML Citation
Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different shading levels on the survival, growth, and physiological responses of Neolitsea sericea (Blume) Koidz. seedlings and to identify suitable shading conditions during the early growth stage. Seedlings were subjected to four shading treatments (0%, 35%, 55%, and 75%), and survival rate, seedling height, root-collar diameter, root-to-shoot ratio (R/S ratio), SPAD value, and photosynthetic pigment contents were measured. Survival in the 0% shading treatment was extremely low (2.8%), whereas high survival was generally maintained under the shaded treatments. At the final measurement, seedling height and root-collar diameter were greatest under 35% shading, while the R/S ratio was highest under 55% shading, and SPAD values and photosynthetic pigment contents were highest under 75% shading. These results suggest that shading is required during the early growth stage of N. sericea seedlings, and that 35% shading may be a favorable shading level for survival and early shoot growth under the present experimental conditions. These findings provide basic information for determining suitable shading levels in nursery production and propagation of N. sericea seedlings.

Keywords
Biomass allocation
Photosynthetic pigments
Shade tolerance
Survival rate
References
1

Anderson, J.M., W.S. Chow, and Y.I. Park. 1995. The grand design of photosynthesis: acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus to environmental cues. Photosynth. Res. 46(1):129-139.

10.1007/BF00020423
2

Bloom, A.J., F.S. Chapin III, and H.A. Mooney. 1985. Resource limitation in plants-an economic analogy. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 16:363-392.

10.1146/annurev.es.16.110185.002051
3

Boardman, N.K. 1977. Comparative photosynthesis of sun and shade plants. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 28:355-377.

10.1146/annurev.pp.28.060177.002035
4

Delagrange, S., P. Montpied, E. Dreyer, C. Messier, and H. Sinoquet. 2006. Does shade improve light interception efficiency? A comparison among seedlings from shade-tolerant and -intolerant temperate deciduous tree species. New Phytol. 172(2):293-304.

10.1111/j.1469-8137.2006.01814.x
5

Demmig-Adams, B. and W.W. Adams III. 1996. The role of xanthophyll cycle carotenoids in the protection of photosynthesis. Trends Plant Sci. 1(1):21-26.

10.1016/S1360-1385(96)80019-7
6

Gu, D.E., S.H. Han, E.Y. Yim, J. Kim, and J.J. Koo. 2024. Shading effects on the growth and physiological characteristics of Osmanthus insularis seedlings, a rare species. J. Korean Soc. For. Sci. 113(1):88-96 (in Korean).

10.14578/JKFS.2024.113.1.88
7

Hiscox, J.D. and G.F. Israelstam. 1979. A method for the extraction of chlorophyll from leaf tissue without maceration. Can. J. Bot. 57(12):1332-1334.

10.1139/b79-163
8

Hong, Y.S., E.J. Kim, E.P. Lee, S.Y. Lee, K.T. Cho, Y.K. Lee, S.H. Chung, H.M. Jeong, and Y.H. You. 2019. Characteristics of vegetation succession on the Pinus thunbergii forests in warm temperate regions, Jeju Island, South Korea. J. Ecol. Environ. 43(1):44.

10.1186/s41610-019-0142-3
9

Kitajima, K. 1994. Relative importance of photosynthetic traits and allocation patterns as correlates of seedling shade tolerance of 13 tropical trees. Oecologia 98(3):419-428.

10.1007/BF00324232
10

Kobe, R.K., S.W. Pacala, J.A. Silander Jr., and C.D. Canham. 1995. Juvenile tree survivorship as a component of shade tolerance. Ecol. Appl. 5(2):517-532.

10.2307/1942040
11

Kouril, R., P. Ilík, J. Naus, and B. Schoefs. 1999. On the limits of applicability of spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods for the determination of chlorophyll a/b ratio. Photosynth. Res. 62(1):107-116.

10.1023/A:1006359213151
12

Lee, D.G., C.W. Kim, J.M. Kim, J.I. Nam, and S.Y. Lee. 2023. Practical methods for seed germination of Neolitsea sericea (Blume) Koidz., a native plant in the Korean Peninsula. Flower Res. J. 31(4):287-296 (in Korean).

10.11623/frj.2023.31.4.12
13

Lichtenthaler, H.K. 1987. Chlorophylls and carotenoids: pigments of photosynthetic biomembranes. In Douce, R. and L. Packer (eds.), Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 148, Academic Press, New York, NY (USA). pp. 350-382.

10.1016/0076-6879(87)48036-1
14

Lusk, C.H. 2002. Leaf area accumulation helps juvenile evergreen trees tolerate shade in a temperate rainforest. Oecologia 132(2):188-196.

10.1007/s00442-002-0974-9
15

Montgomery, R.A. and R.L. Chazdon. 2002. Light gradient partitioning by tropical tree seedlings in the absence of canopy gaps. Oecologia 131(2):165-174.

10.1007/s00442-002-0872-1
16

Shyu, J.G., C.K. Hsu, K.P. Hsu, M.L. Yang, L.Y. Wei, H.T. Ho, and C.L. Ho. 2023. Chemical composition, in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of different parts essential oils of Neolitsea sericea var. aurata from Taiwan. Nat. Prod. Commun. 18(3):1934578X231166290.

10.1177/1934578X231166290
17

Valladares, F. and Ü. Niinemets. 2008. Shade tolerance, a key plant feature of complex nature and consequences. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 39(1):237-257.

10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.39.110707.173506
18

Walters, R.G. 2005. Towards an understanding of photosynthetic acclimation. J. Exp. Bot. 56(411):435-447.

10.1093/jxb/eri060
19

Won, K.R., S.Y. Jung, B.O. Yoo, Y.G. Jang, J.H. Jo, and H.S. Byeon. 2017. Physical and mechanical properties of Neolitsea sericea. J. Agric. Life Sci. 51(6):45-53 (in Korean).

10.14397/jals.2017.51.6.45
20

Yoon, H.Y., H.J. Kim, S.H. Han, and E.Y. Yim. 2024. Light-shading effect on the growth performance, leaf morphological characteristics and chlorophyll content of Myrica rubra seedlings. Korean J. Plant Res. 37(5):547-554 (in Korean).

10.7732/KJPR.2024.37.5.547
21

Yoon, W.J., J.Y. Moon, J.Y. Kang, G.O. Kim, N.H. Lee, and C.G. Hyun. 2010. Neolitsea sericea essential oil attenuates LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages by suppressing NF-κB and MAPK activation. Nat. Prod. Commun. 5(8):1311-1316.

10.1177/1934578X1000500835
Information
  • Publisher :The Plant Resources Society of Korea
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국자원식물학회
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Plant Resources
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국자원식물학회지
  • Volume : 39
  • No :3
  • Pages :170-177
  • Received Date : 2026-05-13
  • Accepted Date : 2026-05-13
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7732/kjpr.2026.39.3.170
Journal Informaiton Korean Journal of Plant Resources Korean Journal of Plant Resources
Online Submission
  • NRF
  • KOFST
  • KISTI Current Status
  • KISTI Cited-by
  • crosscheck
  • orcid
  • ccl
Journal Informaiton Journal Informaiton - close