Curd Initiation in the Cauliflower

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Hand, D. J. and Atherton, J. G. 1987. Curd initiation in the cauliflower. I. Juvenility.—J. exp. Bot. 38: 2050–2058. Four cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) cultivars were screened for differences in juvenility, measured as the phase of insensitivity to vernalization. Juvenility persisted until the initiation of a critical number of leaves which sharply defined transition to the sensitive, mature form at 13 to 15 leaves in cv. Perfection and at 17 to 19 leaves in cv. White Fox. Preliminary investigation showed transition in cv. Alpha Cliro to occur between 9 and 18 leaves initiated and in cv. Dole after 19 leaves. Leaf number was a stable marker of the end of juvenility in plants grown under different light conditions, whereas time, leaf area and leaf dry weight were not. Leaf number was linearly related to log whole shoot dry weight. The rate of leaf initiation in plants of cv. Perfection growing during the juvenile phase was approximately one third that of plants in the mature phase, when measured on a thermal time base. Chilling mature, vegetative plants at 5 °C for 28 d advanced curd initiation by up to 35 leaves in cv. Perfection; 27 leaves in cv. White Fox; 27 leaves in cv. Alpha Cliro and 21 leaves in cv. Dok, compared with plants grown continuously at 20 °C.