Environmental and chemical control of growth and flowering of Chamelaucium uncinatum Schauer

The main factor affecting floral initiation of Geraldton Wax-Flower (Chamelaucium uncinatum) is the photoperiod, while temperature is the major factor affecting flower development. Four weeks of short days (SD) are generally required for obtaining full flowering. The number of flowers produced per plant increases with increasing the number of SD. Under mild temperatures of $\text{20}\text{14°}\text{C}$ (day/night), plants initiated flowers even in long days (LD). However, fewer flowers were produced and on higher nodes as compared to SD plants. Chlormequat promoted flowering under prevailing summer conditions of high temperatures and LD. Under prevailing autumn conditions favourable for flower initiation, LD treatment or weekly sprays with gibberellic acid (GA) reduced the number of flowers per plant. Combined treatment of LD and GA reduced both the flowering percentage and the number of flowers per plant. Discontinuing the LD or the GA treatments caused a resumption of full flower initiation.     

Population means and correlation analyses of growth parameters in lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum Shinn.)

Summary The variation in growth characteristics among lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum Shinn.) genotypes was investigated. The genetic control of several growth parameters was studied by analysing parental, F1, BC1 and F2 populations. The parameters analysed were stem elongation rate (SE), stem diameter (SD), leaf width (LW), number of nodes (NN), node length (NL) and days to flowering (DF). The genotypes tested exhibited great variation for all parameters. A particularly wide variation was noted for SE, ranging from 3 to 56 mm/week. This variation was partially attributed to a differential sensitivity to rosette formation. There was a marked positive heterosis for SE, SD, LW and NN; these parameters proved to be genetically correlated within segregating populations. DF was slightly negatively correlated with SE, NN and NL. It was concluded that SE and DF were independently controlled.Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. No. 1196-E, 1993 series.     

Effect of temperature on flowering in Primula vulgaris

When grown in a glasshouse, flowering in Primula vulgaris ‘Aalsmeer Giant’ (yellow) and ‘Ducat’ (blue) was delayed with increasing temperature from approximately 12°C to 18°C. In addition, size of the first open flower and the number of flowering axillary shoots decreased, whereas the number of leaves and leaf area increased with the temperature increase. All temperature responses were greater in ‘Aalsmeer’ than in ‘Ducat’.When grown in growth rooms at 9°C, flowering in P. vulgaris ‘Aalsmeer Giant’ (yellow) was inhibited compared with 15°C. However, when 9 weeks of 15°C was applied to plants grown for 9 weeks at 9°C, the inhibition was overcome; longer periods of 15°C being no more effective. This indicates than an early stage of flower formation, probably the initiation, in Primula vulgaris is inhibited by 9°C, and not the further development of the buds towards open flowers.     

A greenhouse method for screening lettuce for resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Agar blocks colonized by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, causal agent of lettuce drop, were used as inoculum in screening for resistance to this pathogen in the greenhouse.Since the degree of resistance to the pathogen among cultivars varied with the time observed after inoculation, resistance was assessed by the number of days for 50% of the plants of each cultivar to die, as well as the number of plants that died. The cultivars ‘PI (Plant Introduction) 250427’, ‘Taiwan’, ‘PI 251790’, ‘PI 255568’, ‘MSU 73-44’ and ‘Bibb’ were found to have a higher level of resistance to S. sclerotiorum than the cultivar ‘Grand Rapids’ at 12 or 15 days following inoculation.     

‘龙柱’碧桃嫁接繁育影响因子探讨

试验表明,‘龙柱’碧桃嫁接繁育时,切接生产一级苗比例高达33. 4%,在4月上中旬气温较高时,采用蜡封、粗细0. 8～1. 0 cm接穗,成活率最高为90. 8%,适宜生产高端景观绿化苗;芽接时,采用砧穗粗细匹配、新采接穗、避开雨天、7月上旬～8月下旬适于嫁接,成活率高达94.6%,单株平均净收入为3.23元,高于切接苗0.19元/株,经济效益好。     

Variations in vernalization requirements among ecotypes of Festuca hallii

Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii [Vasey] Piper) is an important forage grass species in the Northern Great Plains of Canada. Its seed is in demand for forage production and habitat restoration, but erratic seed production limits supply. A comprehensive understanding of factors influencing flowering and seed production in this species is needed. This study evaluated the morphological and phenological variation among six ecotypes of F. hallii from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Seeds were germinated, and seedlings were grown in the field and then transplanted to a greenhouse in November. Plants not flowering in the greenhouse were vernalized under 5°C and 8-h light for 11 weeks. In a separate experiment, plants were subjected to temperature regimes of 15/5°C, 10/0°C and 5/−5°C with day-length treatments of 12 h, 8 h and a gradually changing daylength from 12 to 8 h respectively. This study demonstrated the existence of considerable variation in morphological and phenological characteristics, and in growth and vernalization requirements among ecotypes of F. hallii. Vernalization requirements were not met for the ecotype from the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion when it was grown under common conditions, whereas ecotypes from other ecoregions were vernalized in at least one of the 2 years in the field experiment. Northern ecotypes tended to flower earlier after artificial vernalization treatments. Overall, 15/5 to 5/−5°C d per night temperature regimes with photoperiods between 12 and 8 h were effective in inducing flowering. The seed source of F. hallii should be regarded as an important consideration affecting its use, both for habitat restoration and for forage production.     

水稻光温敏核不育系培矮64S的开花习性观察

通过比较培矮 64S、13 5 6S、博A、安农S— 1、明恢 63和G67的开花习性 ,发现培矮 64S具有柱头受粉面积小 ,颖花开闭时间较短 ,柱头生命力下降快 ,柱头外露率较高 ,花期和花时集中 ,与父本同步开花比率较高等特点。并就提高培矮 64S的制种产量进行了讨论     

花期干旱胁迫对籼稻近等基因系育性的影响

 以27份形态性状发生突变的标记基因材料杂交并多次回交所构建的近等基因系及其轮回亲本浙辐802（早籼稻）为材料,于水稻主穗见穗至此后15 d进行干旱胁迫,研究花期干旱胁迫条件下各品系的育性与农艺性状和耐旱性生理性状的关系。试验结果表明,花期干旱胁迫使株高受抑,上3叶绿叶面积减少,稻株干物质量和结实率显著下降,材料的耐旱性与结实性无关。根据干旱胁迫指数将该近等基因系分为钝感（结实率下降<30%）、耐旱(结实率下降幅度在31%～50%)、不耐旱（结实率下降幅度在51%～80%）及敏感（结实率下降幅度>80%）4类,轮回亲本浙辐802为干旱敏感材料。具有卷叶、披叶等传统的耐旱性状的近等基因系未能表现出较强的耐旱性,而具有黄绿色叶与金黄色的谷色的近等基因系则有较高的耐旱性。     

油梨开花物候的研究

研究结果表明,油梨嫁接苗在定植后第三、四年可在海南正常生长并开花,开花期一般在２月上中旬至４月上中旬;油梨小花开放两开两合,第１次开放雌蕊成熟,第２次开放雄蕊成熟,整个过程历时约２４￣３６ｈ;油梨异常花比例高,在２０％以上;有限花序仅在部分油梨品种中出现,比例很低,一般在３％以下。根据部分油梨品种的开花物候特点,确定了部分油梨授粉品种的搭配。     

阴雨对早稻开花及受精结实的影响

 利用人工模拟阴雨条件在抽穗扬花期对491个早稻品种进行了试验，并在自然阴雨条件下观察了39个品种的表现。在阴雨条件下，水稻开花率、受精率和结实率均明显降低。降雨主要造成开花率和受精率的大幅度下降，遮荫则使退化颖花和批粒增加。相同处理的不同品种之间差异很大，其中以闭花受精品种类型对阴雨适应性最强。并将水稻品种对阴雨的适应性分为5种类型。