Regulation of early flowering in Pinus banksiana

Seedlings of three families of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) were subjected to 16 combinations of photoperiod, growth environment (outdoors, greenhouse and biotron) and gibberellin (GA(4/7)) treatment. After 14 months, which included two dormancy induction periods, ovulate flowering was observed. There was a strong positive correlation between flowering and seedling height; female flower production was stimulated by both a declining photoperiod during bud development and GA(4/7) treatment; and there was an interaction between GA(4/7) treatment and family, such that the difference in flowering intensity between a late-flowering and an early-flowering family was eliminated by GA(4/7) treatment. The results suggest that the genetic control over the time of onset of flowering, and GA(4/7)-induction of flowering depend on a common mechanism.