Temperature and Photoperiod Interactions with the Phenological Development of Sunflower

Abstract

The synchronization of anthesis of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) genotypes to be crossed is important for seed production. Little information is available concerning the interaction of temperature with photoperiod on the phenological development of sunflower. Research was conducted in growth chambers to determine the influence of variations in temperature, photoperiod, and light quantity on the phenological development of 16 sunflower genotypes. The sunflower genotypes were subjected to light treatments of: (i) 12‐h fluorescent and incandescent light, (ii) 14‐h fluorescent and incandescent light, and (iii) 12‐h fluorescent and incandescent light followed by 2‐h exposure to incandescent lights only. The fluorescent‐incandescent light combination provided a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of about 430 μmol m−2 s−1 in the chambers, whereas that for the incandescent lights alone was 5 μmol m−2 s−1. All light treatments were imposed under day/night temperature regimes of 18/15 and 28/22°C. The light X temperature X genotype interaction was not significant. Light X genotype and temperature X genotype interactions were highly significant for number of days from emergence (VE) to bud visible (R1) and number of leaves at R1. Other significant interactions were temperature X genotype for number of leaves and plant height at R1, and light X genotype for plant height. Some of the genotypes exhibited substantial delay in reaching R1 under the 12‐h light treatment, confirming prior observations in greenhouse plantings. Differences in light energy levels had little influence on genotype photoperiodic behavior.

Correlation equation for synchronized flowering in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrid KBSH-1 parental lines based on meteorological parameters

“…Shuster and Boyne (1971) observed increased plant height and leaf number in sunflower plants grown under long day and moderate temperature condition. Similar results were obtained by Owen (1983), Goyne and Schneiter (1988), Chaudhury and Anand (1989) and Shinde et al (1992).…”

Contributions of Flowering Time Genes to Sunflower Domestication and Improvement

“…However, recent work has determined that FLC homologs are present in diverse eudicots and can act as cold-repressed regulators of flowering (Hileman et al 2006;Reeves et al 2007). While temperature's influence on flowering in sunflower is well documented (Goyne and Schneiter 1988;Goyne et al 1989), to our knowledge there is no evidence of vernalization sensitivity. FLC also regulates seed germination in A. thaliana (Chiang et al 2009), and this function could be conserved.…”

“…While wild H. annuus populations range from early to late flowering (Heiser 1954), native American landraces are primarily late or very late flowering (Heiser 1951). In contrast, most elite-inbred modern cultivated lines are early flowering as a consequence of selection for shorter growing seasons during improvement (Goyne and Schneiter 1988;Goyne et al 1989).…”

A crop model-based approach for sunflower yields

“…Although empirical research on the eco-physiological aspects of sunflower growth has been documented quite extensively (Goyne and Schneiter, 1988;Hall et al, 1989;Hall et al, 1995;Pereira et al, 1999;Robinson, 1971;Sadras et al, 1988;Sadras and Hall, 1993;Trapani et al, 1992;Villalobos and Ritchie, 1992), the number of modelling-oriented studies aiming to explore crop management strategies such as irrigation, sowing dates and yield variability is as yet limited (Rinaldi et al, 2003;Todorovic et al, 2009).…”