Effects of Photoperiod on Sex Expression in Ambrosia trifida

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Abstract
A. trifida, a short-day plant, after starting growth on long day, was subjected to 2, 10, and 20 photoinductive cycles at each of 3 photoperiods -15, 12, and 6 hrs. The plants were then returned to a long-day bench to complete growth. Rate of maturity was most rapid and yield of fruit was greatest in the plants exposed to 20 photoinductive cycles at the 12-hr. photoperiod. Sex expression as measured bv development of pistillate flowers in the position usually occupied by staminate increased with increasing numbers of photoinductive cycles and decreasing lengths of photoperiod, being greatest in the plants exposed to twenty photoinductive cycles at the 6-hr. photoperiod.