Effect of Temperature and Photoperiod on the Development of Lupinus albus L. in a Controlled Environment |
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| Authors: | R Keeve G H J Krüger H L Loubser J A M Van Der Mey |
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| Institution: | Authors' addresses: R. Keeve (corresponding author), P.O. Box 1539, Vryheid 3100, South Africa;Dr H. L. Loubser and Dr J. A. M. Van Der Mey, ARC-Grain Crops Institute, P/bag X1251, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa;Prof. Dr G. H. J. Krüger, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | An experiment to determine the effect of temperature and photoperiod on Lupinus albus under controlled environmental conditions was carried out, using the three Lupinus albus genotypes 'Tifwhite', 'Esta' and 'Kiev', and three temperature (10/20, 18/28 and 20 °C continuously) and two photoperiod (8 and 16 h daylength) regimes, in all combinations. Half of the seeds were vernalized for 21 days at 4 °C to alleviate the obligate vernalization requirement of Tifwhite. Although Esta and Kiev do not have obligate vernalization requirements, they were influenced by this vernalization period. Observations included the duration of the period from planting to seedling emergence, the duration of the period from planting to the beginning of flowering and the duration of flowering. The vernalization treatment accelerated plant development in all genotypes. The period from planting to emergence was shorter under the higher temperature regime. For all genotypes, the period from planting to flowering was shorter under the longer photoperiod, the same trend as would be expected for long-day plants. Duration of flowering periods were, in contrast to pre-flowering periods, shorter for all genotypes at cooler temperatures. The results of this study confirm that photoperiod does contribute to the growth period from planting to flowering in L. albus and that this species does behave as a long-day plant. |
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| Keywords: | Development — lupins — photoperiod — temperature — vernalization |
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