Flowering in Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis). 1. Studies in controlled environments

Abstract

The flowering of seven selections of Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis HBK) representing a range of maturity types has been studied in the Canberra phytotron. Daylength is the main factor controlling flowering in these selections, all of which showed a strong short day response. At normal temperatures the maximum daylengths at which all plants flowered (the critical daylengths) were 13 hours for the early, 12 hours for the midseason and late-midseason, and 11 1/2 hours for the late selections. However, the midseason selections did flower in a 12 1/2-hour daylength if the light intensity of the supplementary illumination was 20 or 5 ft.c. instead of the normal 50 ft.c. The response of the other selections was not altered at the lower light intensities. Both high night temperature and low day temperature delayed or inhibited flower initiation in the early and midseason selections and these effects were greater at a critical daylength.