Hybrid tea-roses under controlled light conditions. I. The effect of the level of irradiance on the growth and development of seedlings.

Abstract

As a basis for breeding cvs adapted to flowering in winter light conditions, the growth of hybrid tea rose seedlings under controlled conditions was studied. Irradiance varied from 4-24 W/m2, day length was 8 h, temperature 21 deg C. Like cvs, the seedlings sometimes aborted the flower bud at low light intensity. With increasing irradiances, the following phenomena were observed: the juvenile period of the seedlings shortened; plants were longer at bud formation, at first flowering and at flower bud abortion; leaf area and the number of petals increased. Leaf number was constant at all irradiances. Flowering seedlings were smaller at bud formation, but taller at actual flowering than blind ones. Blind seedlings had fewer leaves with a smaller area. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)