Vol. 71 No: 1

Title:
Vernalization and Growth Regulator Effects on Flowering of Gypsophila Paniculata L. cvs Bristol Fairy and Bridal Veil

Authors:
LINDSAY J. DAVIES, P.R. HICKLENTON and J.L. CATLEY

pp: 1-10

Abstract:
Plants of Gypsophila paniculata cvs Bristol Fairy and Bridal Veil were grown in controlled environments at 20°C day and either 20°C (WN) or 7°C (CN) night temperatures with the daylength being either 18 h (LD) or 9 h (SD). This provided four daylength/night temperature combinations: LD/WN, LD/CN, SD/WN and SD/CN. One quarter of the plants were subjected to a vernalization pre-treatment (eight weeks at 11/5°C, day/night; 9 h daylength), while unvernalized plants were sprayed with either gibberellic acid (GA₃) or 6-benzyladenine (BA) at 300 mg l^-1 at the start of the environmental regimes. The objective was to determine whether vernalization and growth regulators could modify the flowering responses of G. paniculata to daylength and night temperature. Both cultivars bolted and formed flower buds very rapidly in LD/WN irrespective of pretreatment, but both final stem height and yield were low. Vernalized plants flowered in the other regimes (LD/CN, SD/CN, SD/WN) and best yields and stem height were obtained under LD/CN conditions. CN prevented flowering in unvernalized ‘Bristol Fairy’, but not in unvernalized ‘Bridal Veil’. SD prevented flowering in unvernalized plants of both cultivars. GA₃ or BA or 300 mg l^-1 promoted flowering and improved yield in all plants grown in LD/CN, but only ‘Bridal Veil’ responded weakly to these treatments in SD. Flower quality was diminished by WN, particularly under SD conditions, due to a loss of apical dominance and branch weakness. BA application also resulted in poor flower quality due to the matting of fine branchlets in the inflorescences.

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