Response of Oxypetalum caeruleum to Irradiance, Temperature, and Photoperiod

Abstract

Incremental increases in temperature from 14 to 22 to 30C resulted in linear increases in stem length and node number and decreases in stem diameter and stem strength of Oxypetalum caeruleum (D. Don.) Decne. Higher temperatures also resulted in additional flower abortion, reduced time to flowering, and fewer flowering stems per inflorescence. Reduction in the photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) from 695 to 315 μmol·s-1·m-2 had similar effects as increasing the temperature on vegetative characteristics, but had little effect on reproductive ones. The rate of stem elongation was greatest at low PPF for all temperatures and at high temperature for all PPF treatments. Net photosynthesis rose between 14 and 22C and declined at 30C for all PPF treatments. Long photoperiods (12 or 14 hours) resulted in longer internodes, longer stems, and more flowers per cyme than short photoperiods (8 or 10 hours), but photoperiod had little effect on flowering time. Treatments to reduce latex coagulant and silver thiosulfate treatments had no significant effect on vase life.