Physiology of Sugar-Cane VII. Effects of Temperature, Photoperiod Duration, and Diurnal and Seasonal Temperature Changes on Growth and Ripening

Abstract

Independent and interaction effects of day and night temperature, photo-period duration, and diurnal thermoperiodicity were studied on sugar-cane grown under controlled environments. During the first 3 months of growth, day and night temperature effects were mainly additive, but at 6 months the interaction effects of all variables were numerous and complex. Many of the interaction effects could be attributed to increased responses to constant-temperature regimes with a 12-hr photoperiod. No evidence for thermoperiodicity requirements was found.

Effect of Temperature on Growth of Five Subtropical Grasses. I. Effect of Day and Night Temperature on Growth and Morphological Development

“…Both Dale (1964) and Hussey (1965) investigated the validity of the concept of thermoperiodism in young plants of French bean and tomato, but could find little evidence of this phenomenon. Glasziou et al (1965) and Robson (1973) have also studied the effect of diurnal temperature variation on growth in sugar cane and tall fescue and have similarly concluded that there was no evidence of thermoperiodism in these species, even though it is evident from their data that for the same mean daily temperatures a diurnal temperature variation gave higher growth rates than a constant temperature.…”

Ripening and Postharvest Deterioration

“…It is clear that sucrose production is highest when fully canopied crops are intercepting high levels of solar radiation (Glasziou et al 1964, cited in Yates 1986. This is true when temperature variations through the year are low, which is the case in crops grown close to the equator (Yates 1986).…”

“…Respiration rates are reduced more by low temperatures than are rates of photosynthesis (Glasziou et al 1964, cited in Yates 1986Glover 1973) and, by implication, a greater portion of photosynthate is available for storage when temperatures are low (Glover 1973). Waldron et al (1967) showed that photosynthetic efficiency fell at low temperatures (17 • C), and culm growth declined but sucrose content continued to increase.…”

“…In another study, 6-month-old plants that were placed in a controlled-environment facility required 90 days to reach a maximum sucrose content of 17% FW cane when grown at a constant temperature of 17 • C (Glasziou et al 1964). When these plants were subsequently subjected to a constant 30 • C, it took 35 days for the sucrose content to fall to 6.5% FW cane.…”

“…When these plants were subsequently subjected to a constant 30 • C, it took 35 days for the sucrose content to fall to 6.5% FW cane. Temperature effects were significantly related to changes in sucrose content in fresh mass by both Glover (1971) and Glasziou et al (1964); a clearer interpretation of the effects of temperature would have been possible had the authors related the effects on sucrose mass or sucrose content of culm DM.…”