Qasim, et.al.

(2007) noted in their study that majority of the people used these plants for
improving their indoor environment. It is well recognized that plants play a vital role for the
improvement of indoor environment. They also act as art, thus offering an inexpensive
decorating alternative. Few number of respondents mentioned that indoor plant enhance
productivity, but internationally it is well recognized and accepted fact that productivity is one of
the greatest benefits of interior plantings.

1.4 Indoor plants can improve many aspects of indoor environmental quality
1.4.1 Effects on indoor air quality (IAQ)
HVAC systems filter out some particulates from incoming air, but have no effect on concentrations
of incoming gaseous pollutants. Potted-plants have been found to bring about significant reductions
in indoor concentrations of: nitrogen oxides (NO x) (Wolverton et al., 1985; Coward et al., 1996;
Yoneyama, 2002); sulfur oxides (SOx) (Lee and Sim 1999); ozone (O3) (Papinchak, 2009); carbon
monoxide (CO) (Tarran et al., 2007); and particulates (Lohr and Pearson-Mims, 1996). The plants
and their root-zone microorganism communities are involved in the removal of these airborne
pollutants. Following the pioneering USA studies on indoor plant VOC removal by Wolverton and
colleagues (1989, 1991, 1993), our UTS laboratory has conducted detailed test-chamber studies with
15 internationally used plant species and four test VOCs: benzene, toluene, xylene and n-hexane. All
of the species trialled show an almost equally robust capacity for VOC removal (Wood et al., 2006;
Orwell et al., 2006; Tarran et al., 2007; Burchett et al., 2009, 2010). All species could repeatedly
eliminate high doses of VOCs within about 24 hours, once the system has been stimulated
(‗induced‘) by 9
initial exposure to the contaminant. We have also shown that the uniformity of VOC removal
capacity is because it is normal bacteria of the potting mixes which are the primary removal agents,
although there is also clear evidence of interactions between the microbes and the plants. Other
laboratory studies have also shown substantial VOC removal by indoor plants (e.g. Yang et al., 2009;
Aydogan and Montoya, 2011). In addition, our office studies, referred to earlier, showed that indoor
potted-plants can maintain reductions in total VOC (TVOC) loads of up to 75% (Wood et al., 2006).
However, this air pollutant removal by the potted-plant microcosm can also be masked by the
activity of HVAC systems (Apte and Apte, 2010; Burchett et al., 2010). These findings demonstrate
that the routine installation of plants for CO2 reduction in city buildings would also have significant
general air-cleansing benefits for building occupants.
1.7 Factors affecting indoor plant CO2 uptake
Green plants are the primary global carbon sink. Given adequate light intensities, green shoots
refresh air in two complementary ways in the process of photosynthesis, taking up CO 2 (to
manufacture carbohydrates) and emitting equimolecular quantities of oxygen as a by-product. Rates
of photosynthesis are affected by a number of factors, some of which are intrinsic to individual
species, such as light and shade tolerance, foliage area and leaf age. Environmental factors are also
crucial to photosynthetic performance and for indoor plants, environmental variables include nutrient
and moisture contents of the potting mix, humidity, surrounding CO 2 levels (Valladares and
Niinemets, 2008), and light intensity and wavelengths.
‗Indoor‘ plant species are perforce shade tolerant, but adequate lighting for them can be
problematic in many indoor spaces. Net CO2 reduction by a plant occurs only when its leaf
photosynthetic CO2 uptake exceeds the CO2 emissions produced by the respiration of the plant as a
whole (from roots, tubers, non-green stems etc., as well as from the leaves when in the dark or in
lighting too dim for normal functioning). A plant‘s photosynthetic ‗light compensation point‘ (LCP)
is defined as the intensity at which net CO2 reduction is zero because the two processes of leaf
photosynthesis and whole-plant respiration are in balance. At this light intensity over an extended
period the plant is starving, since it will have no means to produce any carbohydrate for use in
tissue maintenance, let alone growth.

Indoor air pollution marked with decreased air quality below the set standard. The quality of indoor air is determined by
ambient air quality as well as by a harmful substance resulting from the household activity. Indoor air pollution may cause
several problems such as sick building syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer,
and is responsible for nearly two million death in developing countries. One of the interesting research topics to overcome
the indoor air pollution problem is the application of indoor plants. Although there are no established criteria to specify the
best indoor plant, several studies have revealed the capability of a particular indoor plant to remove the harmful
substances. This paper summarizes important information about indoor air pollution and provides the evidence-based
insight of indoor plant usefulness as an alternative way for indoor air remediation.

Plants have the ability to absorb and catabolize various toxic substances that exist in the environment or also called
phytoremediation, despite this ability is still not optimally utilized as a medium for air purification in the room. The
process of air purification by plants has not been widely known but in general, trends in the selection of plants at houses
are based on aesthetic considerations, durability, and low maintenance costs. Most of the selected indoor plants are
broadleaf species. However, the broadleaf plants are a process of adaptation to the environment.

One effect of adaptation is the reduction of stomatal pores on the leaves thus pollutants are only more attached to the
leaves and are not absorbed [31]. Based on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research, indoor
plants can be useful as natural water-filtration that functions as filters of VOCs such as formaldehyde, benzene,
and trichloroethylene [1]. It is recommended to use two plants in each room of 100 square feet (9.3m 2) [2]. Some

Currently, the standard criteria for selecting indoor plants have not yet been determined. However, in recent decades, the
use of indoor plants as air purification media has received a lot of attention and has been investigated on a broad scale.
Tests of the effectiveness of indoor plants as an air purifier pioneered by NASA revealed that plants have
the ability in reducing levels of pollutants in the room [33]. Furthermore, the number of research on indoor plants is
increasing by testing the capability of the particular species of plants in purifying indoor air. There were several researches
tried to link the use of indoor plants and the clinical benefits. A study conducted by Orwell et al. [34] showed a significant
reduction of benzene in a room’s air where plants were used [34]. The same result was reported by Hong et al. [35] which
revealed the ability of plants called Genus ficus to purify room air by calculating the decrease in levels of VOCs pollutants
such as benzene, ethylbenzene, xylene, styrene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and toluene. In this study, pollutant levels
were assessed before and after the use of plants. The result is that VOCs levels in the room decreased significantly [35].
A research conducted by Teiri et al. [36] also revealed the efficiency of Nephrolepis Obliterata in reducing indoor
formaldehyde levels by up to 100% [36]. Research conducted by Aydogan et al. [37] found that several plants such
as Hedera helix, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Dieffenbachia compacta, and Epipremnum aureum are effective in reducing
formaldehyde levels up to 90% within 24 h [37]. In addition to effectively reducing VOCs levels and CO and CO 2 levels,
indoor plants are also beneficial for reducing PM levels as reported by Penyameethulasi et al. [38] that indoor plants help
decrease the number of PM particles.

However, it was found that the reduction in the number of particles was not as good as when using a mechanical
ventilation system [38]. The number of evidence related to the direct clinical benefits of indoor plants is still limited.
Nevertheless, it has been shown that several studies successfully provide a general description of the benefits of plants in a
room as reported by Kim et al. [39] which showed a decrease in Peak Expiratory Flow (APE) in asthma patient groups
after terminating the use of plants in rooms [39].

Furthermore, several studies also have shown the use of potted plants as a mechanical system for phytoremediation of
several indoor air pollutants [40, 41]. There are several factors that can influence the ability of indoor plants to reduce
indoor air pollution levels, namely the presence of biostimulant from substrates belonging to the number of microbes in
plants.

Findings from this study confirmed the perception that indoor farms are more efficient for year-round, high-quality
transplant production than greenhouses However, commercial implementation of indoor plant propagation will
require the development of appropriate protocols to maximize production and profitability, which based on the
results from this study, must be prioritized by research efforts to fill important gaps in knowledge. A systems-based,
transdisciplinary approach that can draw on the expertise of several field experts is needed to address the needs of
industry stakeholders. Research and outreach activities that bring together socioeconomists, engineers, plant
scientists, and extension specialists who can work closely with stakeholders could help identify limiting factors with
the goal of solving technical and economic issues affecting young-plant production. Collaborative efforts could
include improvements in system designs to increase yield per square foot week, environmental optimization to
reduce shrinkage and seasonality, improvements in resource-use efficiency and product quality, automation
implementation to reduce labor costs, and facilitating the development of training materials, among others.

Improving indoor plant propagation processes will further support the viability of the controlled environment
industry as it develops in the United States. However, as suggested by the results of this study,
a strategic plan encompassing stakeholder needs must be implemented to maximize the benefits and enable adoption
of indoor plant propagation environments. (Gibson, et.al., 2020)

Plants are the most commonelement of nature and are also often regarded as the most representative
of nature [8,9]. This is true even within manmade structures. However, a room with plants di_ers from
the natural outdoor environment in that the plants have been separated from their natural habitat.
Therefore, the role of indoor plants is ambiguous: they can be perceived as a symbol of nature or as a
result of human intervention, interference, and even control over nature [8]. Research has yet to explore
the e_ects of indoor plants with respect to novelty and perceived naturalness. This study is the first to
examine the psychological e_ects (i.e., novelty and perceived naturalness) of bringing plants, which
symbolize nature, from outdoor (natural environment) to indoor settings (artificial environment).
 A plant and garden supply business in Dagupan City, Pangasinan has seen tripling growth
in the demand for their products and services, especially for indoor plants, as well as succulents
and cactus. following the easing of quarantine here. The report from Philippine News Agency
(August 2020) cited that the rise in the popularity of plants and gardening is attributed to the
Internet or online selling. To meet the growing demand, the owners have increased the number
of their workers from only four or five to 12.  And since the prices of plants from their suppliers
have also increased, hence, the need for them to adjust their costing.

 
There is a rising trend in indoor house-plants with the residential segment quickly growing where
the commercial end-uses have dominated the current market owing to decorative qualities. The
growth is stoked by millennials interest in developing wellness spots, identifying with positive
reinforcements of indoor plants, health and fitness to grow organic food and lastly, for the
aesthetic appeal. Companies have kept up through various distribution channels to keep up with
the consumer demand as well

Cultivating indoor plants dates back to the ancient Chinese and the famed Hanging Gardens of
Babylon. The development of home heating systems in the 1800s made growing indoors much
easier, and the Kentia palm, a favorite of Queen Victoria’s, became the must-have plant to own.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/09/21/20/plantito-plantita-filipinos-turn-to-plants-to-cope-with-
coronavirus-pandemic

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1111907

https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/home/2020/02/20/indoor-plants-subscription-stylist/

https://mb.com.ph/2020/08/17/seller-plantitos-and-plantitas-may-soon-need-govt-accreditation/
 Market channel choice for ornamental plants has received a very modest level of
attention. Studies indicate that growers preferred to sell to independent garden centers, whose
competitive position often was based on quality and service, so they were less price-sensitive
(Hampton, 2001; Brand and Leonard, 2001).

Hampton (2001) estimated impacts of factors affecting channel choice using grower
characteristics including age and size of operation, share of total sales at less than standard terms,
the number of channels used, use of computer technology in the business, and others. He found
that larger nurseries attended more and larger trade shows, used more aggressive sales tactics,
and sold larger shares of output to mass merchandisers and rewholesalers. Few other statistically
significant coefficients were found. For share to rewholesalers, the number of channels used had
a positive impact for small firms but a negative impact for large firms. With respect to age, older
large firms had lower shares to rewholesalers.

Due to the importance of the flower and ornamental plants sector in Brazilian agribusiness,
studies that analyze the situation of its different segments can help to understand and establish policies
and actions that support and stimulate their development. The objective was to analyze the profile and
behavior of consumers in the productive chain of flowers and ornamental plants. For this, a questionnaire
with direct questions was prepared and directed to consumers of flowers and ornamental plants. The
application was made personally with direct approaches in places of great movement and specialized
technological fairs, and also online through social media, using Google platform. It was identified that the
profile of consumers is concentrated in women who live in large cities Marketing is done in physical
stores, and despite the technology associated with selling products online. (Paiva, et.al. 2020)

Consumer preferences affect selling opportunities of growers. Level and kind of expenditures at
alternative floral retail outlets were evaluated as a function of attributes of outlets, intended product
use, and characteristics of the purchaser (Yue and Behe, 2010). Outlets included traditional florists, box
stores, general retailers, other stores, and direct sales.
 this study was intended to assist growers’ understanding of opportunities, including
identification of business characteristics associated with increased or reduced shares of wholesale sales
made through four different market channels. Results from our study suggest progress in understanding
the relationships between channels, but additional studies are needed to confirm these findings. A
caution is that data for this analysis represent only growers’ opinions and perceptions

For business owners, small indoor plants could be economical and helpful in their effort to reduce stress-related
conditions. In addition, for growers of indoor plants and business owners of rental plant companies, the field of
mental health for office workers could be promising markets. Our findings provide a piece of evidence in using
small indoor plants for promoting workers’ mental health in the office. (Toyoda, et.al. 2020)