Induced bolting and anthesis in sugar beet and the effect of selection of physiological types

Abstract

1. The effect of low-temperature and continuous-light treatment of seedlings of certain sugar beet strains in the isolation of distinct physiological types is described. The progenies of individual plants and bulk samples of different anthesis dates show some difference in the proportions of early and late plants, when these progenies are similarly exposed to low temperatures and continuous light in the seedling.2. Different treatments of progenies in relation to light treatment in the seedling stage result in distinct behaviour with regard to anthesis date and the number of plants reaching the stage of anthesis.3. The comparative resistance to bolting from a field sowing of seed obtained from plants which ripened seed after continuous light treatment of the seedlings is noted. This was so in spite of the fact that only 66% of the plants had reached anthesis as a result of the treatment, and the seed was obtained from the most rapidly bolting plants.4. Light and low temperature exposure of seedlings is effective in two different strains for isolating bolting-resistant types as measured directly from the seed of these bolting-resistant plants and selected progenies from these plants. Differences in the field germination and establishment from very early sowings were discernible in the progenies.