Some Morphological Responses of Cereal Seedlings to Vernalisation

Abstract

Statements in the literature that vernalisation treatments modify the growth of cereal seedlings are confirmed; in particular the coleoptile and early leaves are shortened and hair development on the leaf sheaths is suppressed. While there is a definite relationship between the degree of these responses and the duration of low-temperature treatment, this is not reliable measure of flower induction, and there is no evidence that they are conditioned by the same process. Devernalisation by heat accentuates rather than reverse the morphological responses; moreover, in spring rye early flowering is inherent, though the morphological responses approach those of unvernalised winter grain.