A model of photoperiod x temperature interaction effects on plant development

Abstract

The recent whole-plant research reviewed suggests the commonly applied paradigms about vernalization and photoperiodism should be replaced. A simple equation based on new paradigms predictively models with excellent fit the published days to flowering of at least six plant species. The paradigm that the response to photoperiod of the days to flowering (DTF) of crop plants is revealed adequately by comparing a range of photoperiods at just one temperature should be replaced with the following concepts. There is a base (lowest) temperature below which photoperiod gene activity does not occur, and, when the temperature is high enough to allow activity, there is always a photoperiod X temperature X genotype interaction effect on the days to flowering. Similarly, the paradigm that vernalization gene activity occurs at low temperature and promotes development should be replaced as follows. Vernalization gene activity occurs only if the temperature is above a base (lowest) temperature that allows activity of the vernalization gene(s), and this activity delays development to flowering. Development to flowering is accelerated by low-temperature vernalization, because the low temperature prevents vernalization gene activity, thereby preventing delay of the DTF. The phenomena called long-day (LD) vernalization and short-day (SD) vernalization are reinterpreted as follows. The apparent replacement by short or long daylength of a requirement for low-temperature vernalization is actually a replacement by the low temperature of a requirement for long or short day. Just as true low-temperature vernalization results from prevention of vernalization gene activity, these SD and LD promotions of the DTF occur because the photoperiod gene activity is prevented by the low temperature. Rather than requiring an environment that induces flowering, an inherent capability for rapid development to flowering is expressed, if there is no delay of the DTF by the activity of either or both of the vernalization and photoperiod gene(s). All the above-mentioned effects of temperature are due to the Q10 effect on the specified photoperiod or vernalization gene activity. The effect of thermal time (due to the accumulated growing degree days) is the integrated Q10 effect on all additional genes that partially control the rate of development to the reproductive stage.