[Objective] This study aimed to determine the effect of rare earth biological regulator LaCl3 on the absorptive capacity to formaldehyde of four indoor ornamental plants, and to screen out the plant whose absorptive capacity to formaldehyde can be increased most greatly by LaCl3. [Method] Effect of LaCl3 on absorptive capacity to formaldehyde of four indoor ornamental plants was studied through fumigating in laboratory. Simultaneously, the indoor ornamental plant, which could significantly en- hance the degradation capacity of formaldehyde, was screened out to study the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of formaldehyde resistance. [Result] The ability to absorb formaldehyde of four indoor ornamental plants was enhanced by dif- ferent ranges after spraying with LaCl3 at suitable concentrations. The ability to ab- sorb formaldehyde of Hedera nepalensis var. sinensis, Chlorophytum comosum, Scindapsus aureun and Sansevieria trifasciata increased by 15.16%, 4.72%, 19.75% and 7.68%, respectively. In the four indoor ornamental plants, the capacity of S. au- reun to absorb formaldehyde was greatly improved by spraying LaCl3. When S. au- reun was stressed by formaldehyde, its chlorophyll content decreased by 39.87%, membrane permeability, MDA accumulation and POD activity increased by 8.17%, 56.92%, and 11.32%, respectively. However, compared the pre-spraying group with the no-spraying group under formaldehyde stress, chlorophyll content of S. aureun reduced less, membrane permeability and MDA cumulative both increased less, but POD activity increased more. [Conclusion] The formaldehyde absorption capacity of S. aureun was mostly improved after LaCl3 was sprayed.
