The Role of Temperature and Photoperiod on Liatris spicata Shoot Development

Abstract

Additional index words. cut flower, soil temperature, stem elongation, long day, short day Abstract. Shoot emergence of cold-treated Liatris spicata Willd. corms was inhibited by SC soil, delayed at 10 or 15C (7 and 5 days, respectively), and promoted at 20, 25, or 30C. Within 15 days after planting, soil at 20C promoted the highest percentage of shoot emergence (81%). Plants were grown during the first 35 days after emergence under a combination of temperature and long or short days. Flowering shoot length was increased by either short days (8 hours; SD) at 13 or 15C or a 4-hour incandescent night interruption (NI) at 18C. When planted in May, a NI at 15 or 18C decreased the time to harvest by up to 14 days, whereas in November increasing the temperature to 18C, regardless of photoperiod, decreased the days to harvest by 16 days. Plants grown during the first 35 days after emergence under natural days at 15C then placed at 13, 15, or 18C under NI until harvest did not respond to the increasing temperature. Temperature and photoperiod influence Liatris development primarily during the first 35 days of development.