VERNALISATION IMPACT ON BIOMETRICAL PARAMETERS OF FESTULOLIUM VARIETIES

Abstract

Many plants, including Festulolium, grown in temperate climates require vernalization and must experience a period of low winter temperature to initiate or accelerate the flowering process.  The aim of research was to investigate impact of vernalisation thermoinduction on growth and development parameters of Festulolium new varieties ’Vėtra’ and ’Punia’.

Investigations were carried out in Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Institute of Horticulture, Plant Physiology Laboratory of phytotron complex in 2011-2012. The aim of research is to investigate some peculiarities of growth and development of Festulolium. Festulolium varieties ’Vėtra’ and ’Punia’ were investigated. 5 plants were sown in each 5 liter pot in neutral peat substrate (pH 6-6.5). The plants were grown in greenhouse till the tillering phase at the temperature of 20±2°C at daytime and 16±2°C at night. Later plants were moved to low temperature chambers for 90, 110 and 130 days for passing of vernalisation processes, where the 8 and 16 hour photoperiod were maintained at 4°C temperature. After vernalisation periods plants were removed to a greenhouse for additional 20 days. Biometric parameters, namely plant height, shoot number, and dry mass were measured after each period in greenhouse and climatic chambers.

The data revealed different response of Festulolium new varieties ’Vėtra’ and ’Punia’to vernalisation conditions.According to our data ’Vėtra’ plant height was 6% higher than the ’Punia’ after 130+20 days of vernalisation. Nonetheless, vernalisation temperature conditions have no significant impact on shoot number. 110 and 130 long-day photoperiod significantly impacted on shoot number of Festulolium ʽVėtraʼ. Otherwise, 90 days vernalisation of both photoperiod induced significantly the highest length of ʽPuniaʼ shoots. ʽVėtraʼ accumulated significantly the maximum dry matter after 110 days vernalisation period, than that after 90 and 130 days.

Keywords: Festulolium, vernalisation, photoperiod, morphometry

Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2017.002