Abstract
IN 1932, Laurie and Poesch1 reported that for glasshouse carnation an increase in photoperiod during the winter months led to earlier production of flowers in the spring. There have been a number of similar reports since, but views have differed as to whether photoperiod affects the time of flower initiation or only the rate of subsequent development of the flower. Post2 and more recently Rünger3 have claimed that only the latter stage of development is affected. Blake4, however, working in the laboratories here, demonstrated an effect on flower initiation such that plants grown in short days of 8 hr. had more leaves below the flower than plants grown in long days where an additional 9 hr. of illumination was given. The object of the present communication is to report results from three glasshouse experiments which show unequivocally that time of flower initiation in carnation is affected by photoperiod and that this effect can occur independently of the total radiation received by the plant.
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References
Laurie, A., and Poesch, G. H., Ohio Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull., 512 (1932).
Post, K., Cornell Univ. Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull., 787 (1942).
Rünger, W., Licht und Temperatur im Zierpflanzenbau (Paul Parey, 1957).
Blake, J., Rep. Fourteenth Int. Hort. Congr. Netherlands, 331 (1955).
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HARRIS, G., GRIFFIN, J. Flower Initiation in the Carnation in Response to Photoperiod. Nature 191, 614 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/191614a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/191614a0
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