The tillering pattern in barley varieties: II. The effect of temperature, light intensity and daylength on the frequency of occurrence of the coleoptile node and second tillers in barley

Abstract

SUMMARYControlled-environment experiments showed that development of the coleoptile node tiller (T1) was suppressed much more than that of the tiller appearing in the axil of the first true leaf (T2) by high temperature (24/15 °C; 19/10 °C; 10/6 °C), by reduced photoperiod (16 h; 12·5 h) or by low light intensity (1100 ft-c; 1000 ft-c), but minimally in the newest variety, Deba Abed. Unlike previous field experiments, the T1 tiller appeared on more Spratt Archer than Maris Badger plants. Maris Badger plants produced more T1 tillers in a high-low temperature regime (19/10 °C; 10/6 °C) than in continuous low temperature (10/6 °C). In a field experiment T1 tiller number (and yield), but not the number of other major shoots, were severely reduced by late sowing of Spratt Archer, progressively reduced in Maris Badger, but minimally in Deba Abed. This seemed to be associated with higher temperatures at later sowings.