Flowering competence after exposure to naturally fluctuating winter temperatures in a perennial grass, Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) Beauv.

Davy, Anthony J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7658-7106 (1982) Flowering competence after exposure to naturally fluctuating winter temperatures in a perennial grass, Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) Beauv. Annals of Botany, 50 (5). pp. 705-715. ISSN 0305-7364

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

Tussocks of three clones of the perennial grass Deschampsia caespitosa were exposed to natural temperatures, for successive periods with increments of one week, throughout each season in four consecutive autumn/winter seasons. After exposure they were returned to a warm, illuminated glasshouse and the incidence, intensity and timing of flowering were recorded. The year-to-year variations in exposure time requirement for full flowering were very highly correlated (r2 > 0.98) with mean air temperature in the period between mid-September and early December. The relationship with the natural logarithm of accumulated air temperature was similarly good. Daily mean air temperature was also demonstrated to be a good indicator of daily mean tussock temperature (r2 = 0.91), in a series of measurements in the autumn of 1976. More prolonged exposure increased the proportion of apices in a tussock which flowered, but the maximum value at the end of a whole winter was only about 15 per cent. The cumulative vernalization effects of naturally fluctuating temperature regimes are analysed and the significance of these findings for the maintenance of perenniality in clonal grasses is considered.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: deschampsia caespitosa (l.) beauv.,tufted hairgrass,flowering,vernalization,temperature,perenniality
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 30 May 2023 08:30
Last Modified: 30 May 2023 08:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/92199
DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a086412

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item